Bitter Love
by naniche
Summary: "I will never forget you. Not in my next life. Not in the life after that. And even the life after that. I will love you forever." TobiramaXOC
1. The Girl with Grey Eyes

I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Amaya Mae appeared at the Hokage's doors, broken. Tobirama was at the moment he saw her, entranced by her eyes. They were chilling — a layered gray that could reflect the sky. She asked the gods for a new fate but her wishes were shattered when she found herself falling helplessly for Tobirama Senju. She must finally face the demons of her past and accept the reality of who she is, and no longer hide behind the many faces she acquired. Layers peel and she realizes that she has finally found a home.

* * *

Chapter 1

The Girl with Grey Eyes

* * *

Tobirama Senju was beyond exhausted. He had spent no less than three hours arguing with one of the stupid fucks from the clan alliance only to be given some stupid ass information that he already knew. Oh, someone was targeting Hashirama's life? Well guess what, the majority of the world was fucking targeting Hashirama's life.

And the Uchiha? Yes, they too were planning some stupid underground bullshit that Tobirama literally had no clue about. When that shit happened, he would have to wing it. He was done. Done with it all. He was headed to Hashirama's office just to complain and threaten to run away if Hashirama didn't hire more help. He was only one man who was only slightly socially awkward, what more could he do but work his life away.

It was this exact reason he was standing in the doorway to Hashirama's office, completely frozen in shock. He had walked in a surprising scene, to say kindly. A young woman kneeled before his brother, her head touching the wooden floor and her eyes hidden by the thick strands of light-colored hair. It was not too uncommon for civilians to show their reverence to the Hokage, but it was how Hashirama stared at the woman that caused Tobirama's heart to beat quicker.

Hashirama was disgusted. He was horrified and angry and so very disgusted. It had been many years since Tobirama had seen that type of look in his older brother and truthfully, he was just the tiniest bit scared. Hashirama Senju was known to be a lenient ruler with a heart of sunshine, but the way he looked towards the girl unnerved Tobirama to no end.

"I beg of you," the girl whispered weakly and so very desperate, "please help me."

Hashirama's jaw twitch as he looked at her lowered form and he turned away, his eyes thundering his disapproval. Tobirama could see his brother's mind working, the ruthless ruler, visible for those precious seconds that passed. Suddenly, the man leaned forward and murmured something in the girl's ear. Tobirama could not make out his words but the girl stiffened and sat up. She nodded, almost totally imperceptible, and met the Hokage's eyes, her jaw set stiffly.

"Yes sir. Thank you." Her voice cracked slightly as she rose to her feet, but she straightened to her full height and lifted her chin. "I will do everything within my ability to serve you to the fullest."

Tobirama was chilled by her lifeless tone. She bowed quickly to Hashirama before turning around and beginning to walk out. When she saw Tobirama, she barely reacted, only meeting his eyes and giving a small head nod. He met her eyes once again and narrowed his own, confused as to what he saw. She was wild. Deranged. Willing to do anything. Her cold inanimate grey eyes showed nothing as she slid past him. Who was this tiny little girl?

Hashirama cleared his throat before speaking, rubbing his hand over his face then through his long hair. Tobirama was always suggesting the man to cut it. The style was dignified but a hazard in battle.

"Brother," Hashirama sighed and forced a tired grin, his eyes glittering in anxiety. "what could possibly bring you today?"

He moved on to his desk, shuffling through some paperwork then sighing in defeat and tossing the papers aside. An outsider would have said that Hashirama had already forgotten about the girl who was in his office only moments before but Tobirama was not an outsider. He could see that Hashirama's shoulders were tight with stress and how his hands were balled up into fists. The white-haired man could see his brother's quiet fury and the grimace of his mouth. It was the blank look in Hashirama's eyes that really made Tobirama curious. It was a very rare look for the village's sunshine.

"Who was that?" The red-eyed man asked, his voice strained with curiosity. Tobirama took a seat across from his brother, leaning back comfortably wearing a bored smirk. He could play his brother's game as well. He was not an outsider to political banter, he, too, knew how to weave words.

Hashirama flicked his eyes to his brother, narrowing them angrily. His jaw flexed against and his lips tightened before he shrugged. "Her name is Amaya Mae. She owes me a great debt," he said the words as if annoyed by them, "she'll be working for the village taking on the most 'difficult and soul-corrupting tasks' for the village." The world's most powerful shinobi rolled his eyes.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the air quotations and shifted his stance slightly, slightly perturbed. "An assassin? Hashirama, what is the meaning of this? You want a girl who cannot be older than eighteen to become a murderer?" His tone was incredulous, half-expecting to Hashirama to laugh and shake his head, but instead, his brother met his eyes with a dangerous expression.

"She is already a murderer!" He snarled his words out before immediately taking a breath and shaking his head, becoming apathetic. Tobirama paused for a moment, watching his usually joking older brother carefully. He had witnessed Hashirama's rage all his life, but it was the sudden and dramatic increase of chakra that scared the white-haired man. It truly terrified him.

"Why...What is happening?" The white-haired man demanded, meeting Hashirama's gaze angrily straightening in his seat. "Tell me."

His own chakra spiked slightly, just a small waver but the Hokage detected the anger in his brother's words. Hashirama met his brother's blood red eyes and his own surprisingly softened. He leaned on his hand and scratched his head. His next words chilled his brother. It was the words Tobirama never expected to hear from his precious elder sibling. It was words that made his blood boil.

"There are some things that only a Hokage can burden."

* * *

Tobirama Senju tched in complete and utter annoyance. When the white-haired man had announced to his older brother and Hashirama's red-haired wife that he would observe Amaya Mae, he was most definitely not expecting to be bored. He had an image that girl he saw in Hashirama's office, small and weak and completely emotionless was most-definitely not the woman he was watching.

He was expecting an assassin hiding in the shadows, not a young woman who called out to vendors on the street, grinning, and befriending them with a word or two. She had found herself in conversations with the civilians of the leaf who were all enraptured by all of the woman's words.

At first, curiosity gnawed in Tobirama's gut as he followed her. He was simply awed by how the assassin had within minutes assimilated herself into the life of a simple and kind civilian. Her words flowed easily, but the white-haired man saw how she kept most of the conversation rolling around those who spoke with her. She said almost nothing of herself, just small details that added up to nothing of importance. She was overall, incredibly boring.

Simply out of keeping to his word, he followed her to the outskirts of Konoha, staying in the trees and hiding his presence. Even a high-classed jonin would have trouble detecting the brother of the Hokage, even if Hashirama had told him she was a trained assassin.

To his surprise and eventual amusement, she made her way to an orphanage. She had immediately sat herself down on the stone steps into the building and took out a pipe from her sleeves. It took only a small low-level jutsu to light it, and she let the smoke drift into the air, swirling until it dispersed.

Tobirama snorted quietly. She must be an idiot, if she had an addiction to tobacco. Smoke permeated clothing making them useless for recon and silent killing. Any trained shinobi could detect such an obvious scent, and even untrained shinobi most-likely could smell something like that.

"Ms. Amaya!"

He had jumped at the sudden voice but the woman only turned around slowly to face the owner of the voice. "Hachiro," she smiled softly at the young boy who raced towards her followed by a small herd of other children.

They all encircled the sitting woman. Tobirama stood, waiting to intervene if she showed any sign that she was going to turn on the helpless children. If she really was an assassin, killing children would not be past her.

One small girl climbed up onto the woman's lap and Tobirama tensed. If the woman did indeed attack, he wouldn't be fast enough to take her out before she could harm the child. He went over the scenarios of what to do when one of the children screamed.

He immediately got into action, racing forward. He almost allowed himself to be visible before he found that he was not needed, in all actuality. The children were screaming in laughter. At this moment in time, Tobirama hated all children, even his own nephews.

The children scattered, giggling and screaming in delight as the assassin chased after them. If she was indeed that slow, Tobirama would have no problem either running from her or catching her. No, what was he thinking, she was playing with children, of course she wouldn't use her chakra. After several minutes, the woman caught one of the children, throwing him the air and catching him while they all giggled.

The orphans gathered around the woman and waited their turn until two fucks, as Tobirama called them lovingly, started pushing each other. One of the fucks landed painfully on her ankle and squealed out in pain. Tobirama was about to go out and heal the child but Amaya got there first.

"Can you walk?" Amaya asked slowly, her tender voice calming the children that crowded around the two. "I'll heal you." A soothing green light engulfed the woman's hand and within several minutes, the girl was up and running around once again. The woman retreated back to the steps and took out her pipe once again.

One child came up to the woman, his hair long and black with a complexion as white as Tobirama's hair. "Can you teach me?" His voice was frighteningly serious, with large golden eyes that gave Tobirama the impression of a snake.

Amaya stared at the boy and gave him the smallest of a smile before sighing deeply. "I won't be responsible for what happens after you learn. Being a ninja is cruel life I do not want for anyone."

Tobirama stared at Amaya as she stood firm and shook her head, even as the boy asked her once more. His eyes widened as each moment passed and she faced the ground, staring at nothing. Tobirama turned away suddenly, sitting down and leaning his back against the trunk of the tree he relaxed on.

Damn you Hashirama, this is boring as hell. He yawned and once again focused on the orphanage scene.

* * *

It was only when she suddenly rose from her spot on the stairs and bid the children goodbye did Tobirama realize that her hair was not the dull grey he first thought it to be. It was a lavender, a vibrant lavender, and her eyes - don't get him started on her eyes. They were beautiful. A layered gray that he once thought were deranged, but were in fact a soft, kind, intelligent, sad, mourning eyes. Eyes that could make a grown man cry.

She walked on the forest path for a few minutes, in silence, her steps long and careless. She stopped suddenly, her head tilted to the side, while Tobirama leaned forward in interest, then disappeared. Her chakra signature appeared behind the white-haired man but he did not turn around. She sighed suddenly and he imagined that she put a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you following me, Senju?" Her voice sent shivers up his spine. It was not the voice of the woman begging his brother for help, nor the one asking the wellbeing of the child. It was of something much stronger, a greater force than he originally imagined. "Why is the brother of the Hokage watching me?"

On that note, Tobirama suddenly whirled around, arching a kunai over her head. She blocked it with her own, which had miraculously appeared. Her grey eyes bore into Tobirama and she furrowed her dark brows slightly. She looked him over before flicking Tobirama's kunai away and flipped farther down the branch. She stayed balanced on one leg, barely moving.

"Are you attacking me, intending to cause me harm?" Amaya questioned, arching her eyebrow slightly, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Do you wish a battle?"

Tobirama watched her carefully, glaring daggers at her. "No... just determining your abilities."

"By attempting to stab me?" She smiled again, speaking with an incredulous and teasing tone, oblivious to his silent threats.

Tobirama could not help the blush that had flushed throughout his face. How demeaning to think that the third strongest man in all of Konoha was blushing of all things simply because of a pretty girl.

She narrowed her eyes at him and her smile slowly faded. "If you don't intent on killing me, I'll be on my way. I believe I have a mission tomorrow." She smiled once again, but this time it was cold and unnerving. She stepped off the branch and landed lightly on the ground before continuing to walk away.

Tobirama glared after her before appearing in her path, sheathing his kunai slowly. She watched him curiously, continuing forward before pausing directly in front of him. She was taller than he had originally thought, almost reaching his own height.

"Do you need something?" She murmured tilting her head, letting some of her locks of hair fall onto her shoulder.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. jutting his chin out, almost touching her forehead. "Hashirama believes you won't betray us. I don't trust you. Know that I will be watching." His eyes were steady and unwavering.

Amaya paused and looked at the ground before glancing back up at him, trying to hide her smile and keep her eyebrow down. "Do you want to make your job easier?" She suddenly inquired, leaning forward. "Come for a drink with me. You can watch me there."

Tobirama stared at her for a good thirty seconds before he leaned back, utterly confused. He had threatened her, and now she was inviting him to go drinking with her. Was she trying to do something? Get under his skin maybe? Despite the fact that she most-possibly had an ulterior motive, she was not wrong. He could watch her better if he was directly next to her.

"Fine, let's go." His voice was gruff as he gave his answer, and her eyes twinkled at his words.

A/N: Follow for updates and favorite for my love :)


	2. A Painful Reminder of Peaceful Times

**I do not own Naruto**

* * *

 _Chapter 2_

 _A Painful Reminder of Peaceful Times_

* * *

The night ended late with Amaya lugging the larger man to the only place she knew of: the Hokage mansion. Tobirama was beginning to act quite flirtatious as the night went on, continuously slipping his fingers inside Amaya's loose fitting kimono. She began with simply pulling his fingers out or slapping at his hands, chuckling at his actions, until she became annoyed. She may or may not have broken a finger or two of his. She admitted to nothing.

The woman brought him to the Hokage mansion, waiting at the gates until some guards passed and went to fetch Hashirama. The Hokage stared at Amaya as he made his way to his incredibly drunk brother and the hired assassin, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. His wife stood behind him, raising a curious eyebrow. She was beautiful, with gorgeous red locks of hair that reached her mid-waist and dark, entrancing eyes. She wore a long white robe that trailed on the ground and the smile that adorned her lips was mischievous. Amaya's breath caught when she saw her, but it was not the beauty of the woman that surprised her.

The gates opened with a nod from Hashirama, as if a trained killer could not have slipped over them if he had tried. Amaya certainly could have passed them easily. She let the Hokage do as he please, who was she to judge? Amaya passed the drunk white-haired man off to his older brother, making sure he was secure in the dark haired man's arms before stepping back. Hashirama tossed the man over his shoulder, nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow at the purple-haired woman.

Amaya nodded her head respectfully to Hashirama before meeting Mito's eyes and doing the same. She small smile played at the corners of her lips as she spoke. "Apologies, Sir. It seems he had a bit too much to drink."

Mito let out a chuckle at the younger woman's words. Hashirama glanced at her and she met his eyes, obviously trying not to smile so broadly. She lost the battle as she snickered behind her sleeve and Hashirama snorted before turning back to Amaya. Tobirama groaned over his brother's shoulder.

The Hokage paused at Amaya, searching her for a moment before snorting. "It seems so."

Amaya nodded once more towards the Hokage, this time her face void of emotions. "I'll take my leave then, if there is nothing else you need." She bowed to him, to Mito, then to even the guards that surrounded the Hokage and his wife. She met Hashirama's eyes last before pulling herself away and turning around.

"Do you need a place to stay tonight?" Mito's smooth voice rolled over the yard, her dark eyes curiously examining the young woman. Hashirama snapped towards his wife, seemingly astonished at her question and Amaya turned around, her light grey eyes wide in awe. She quickly recovered, bowing low to the woman before rising and meeting her eyes, revealing nothing, only a tick in her jaw as she spoke.

"No, thank you Lady Uzumaki - er, um - Senju. I could not impose."

Hashirama turned to stare at her, his eyes narrowing, his mouth in a thin line. Amaya forced herself to met his gaze evenly then averted her eyes, staring at the red-haired woman instead before turning around and walking away. The Hokage and his wife watched the girl walk down the street, her long lavender hair blowing in the wind, past her hips.

Hashirama was confounded by the young woman. Everything about her defied the rumors of her clan, refuted what he supposedly knew about her. It was all lies. She was not the assassin he thought her to be, or the cruel shinobi he had learnt from the many files he had read. Nor was she the girl who begged for his mercy, begged to be given a task of her own. Begged to be accepted.

After her figure disappeared down the road, Hashirama turned around to carry his brother inside, muttering a few obscenities as he did. Mito still stood by the doorway, her dark navy eyes narrowed and lost in thought. She stared at where the girl had disappeared, whispering to herself. Hashirama strained to hear, but could decipher nothing. He bid the stoic guards beside them a goodnight, readjusted Tobirama over his shoulder and began to lead his wife inside.

She shook her head and glanced up at him, her mouth open slightly. "She…" his wife closed her mouth angrily and glared at the ground, regaining her thoughts. "She is familiar to me." Her hands curled in fists due to frustration. She did not meet her husband's eyes, opting to instead attempt to rake through her thoughts.

Hashirama paused, staring at his wife curiously. "You know that woman?"

Mito shook her head, chewing on her lip. "No...but I have seen her face several times before...I recognize her. Somehow I know her, I am sure of it."

Hashirama nodded to himself, attempting to control his racing mind. "She is the sole survivor of the Mae clan. The last one left. She lived near the Land of Whirlpools, maybe her family was hired by the Uzumaki's at one point or another. You may just recognize her from that."

Mito's eyes widened as she stared into the darkness of the night. " _Wind Vortex Windmill Technique_ ," She breathed out, tasting the familiar words on her breath. It was a phrase her family often used when she was only a teenager, often whispered sadly and away from children. She knew the words were associated with tragedy of the worst kind and though Mito had never learned the full-extent of it, she knew of what befell the massacred clan.

The Hokage nodded to her and Tobirama groaned. "Let's get inside. The little fool is straining my shoulder. Come on, Mito."

The woman hummed slightly in agreement and led the way into the mansion, her mind still on the young woman whose eyes had been frighteningly familiar. Eyes that held secrets within that others would kill for. She did not blame Tobirama for his interest in the woman, but she did blame him for the stench of alcohol and smoke that he seemed to carry. She wrinkled her nose as she avoided her brother in-law, giggling as she saw Hashirama's expression.

She would worry about the woman later. For now, she would sleep.

* * *

The white haired man woke up to a pounding headache and no memory of the events that happened the night before. He was still wearing his blue armor and was lying uncomfortably on his side. He sat up and groaned, not only because of his massive hangover, but because of the crick in his neck that sleeping in his armor always gave him. The red makeup that adorned his cheeks and chin had smudged and his clothes faintly smelled of smoke, probably from Amaya's pipe.

Damn that woman, getting him drunk like that.

The last thing he remembered was a geisha falling into his lap. From there on out, it was a mystery. And why was his hand hurting so much! Shit, it was painful. He held his fingers up, glaring at the makeshift splint surrounding an awkwardly bent and purple forefinger and middle finger.

That woman would die by his hand.

He crawled from his bed and made his way downstairs, squinting at the light as he entered the main hall, almost hissing at a passing guard. The guard in question hurried past him, giving the renowned ninja a wide berth. He made his way downstairs, trudging down the wooden stairs slowly, each step creaking underneath his weight. His pace was beyond sluggish, fearful that if he moved too quickly, he would fall flat on his face or vomit. He had emptied whatever hellish substance that was in his stomach in the chamberpot in his quarters, hopeful that the servant who would take care of it would not be overly offended by its smell. He entered the dining room, glaring at its occupants.

Damn everyone.

Hashirama sat with his wife, Mito at the large dinner table sipping tea delicately. Their son sat in a wooden high chair, smashing peas. They were silent other than the young child, like most mornings. Tobirama rarely ate with them as he had his own home that he had built a few years ago. Despite this, the Hokage mansion always had a guest bedroom prepared and ready for Tobirama. He was familiar with the routines of this house.

Mito and Hashirama glanced at Tobirama with amused expressions as he collapsed in his seat at the end of the table. The couple smugly returned to their breakfasts, reaching out simultaneously to hold hands. The toddler cooed at his uncle.

Damn them all.

* * *

Amaya entered the Hokage Mansion, pulling the collar of her clothing higher, glancing up and meeting the gaze of sentry. She smiled at him before walking inside, the end of her black dress-like robe trailing on the stairs. A long slit on either sides of her leg showed off the skin of her thighs while her boots laced up to above her knees. The back of her dress was stitched together in an odd pattern and her shoulder blades were lined with black leather. The cloth hugged her chest tightly while the collar went high, reaching her jawline and the sleeves went past her wrist, with a small slit for her thumb. A forehead protector hung on a belt around her waist, but there was no symbol of a village on it.

A long katana and kunai were attached to the same belt, and also attached to the leather on her shoulders as well, most-likely so it would hold secure when she ran. Amaya's hair was braided along her skull then down her back, and her grey eyes were sharp as she knocked on the door of the Hokage's office. She entered once Hashirama called for her.

He stared at her, slightly surprised at her attire, his eyebrow raised slightly before he cleared his throat and turned to Tobirama. Amaya regarded the silver-haired man with a smirk. He was full on gaping. It was not at the beauty the woman may have held, but the difference in the atmosphere around her. Once again, she was a different person.

Who would she be with him?

Tobirama quickly gained control of his reactions turning back to Hashirama, waiting for orders. The man narrowed his eyes at the woman in black, his lips thinning dangerously. Amaya met his gaze complacently. She finally turned away from Hashirama's frightful intensity and glanced at Tobirama, a smirk pulling at the corners of her lips.

"What happened to you hand, Senju?" Amaya asked conversationally, tilting her head slightly and glancing at the splint covering his fingers. "How did you injure it?" She smiled innocently.

Tobirama glared at her, his red eyes glowing dangerously. "I'm not sure but I think I can guess."

Amaya quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, can you?" She leaned closer to him. "Well, let me assure you, _sir_ , you have _very_ quick fingers," She replied quickly while nodding and winking at him before turning back to Hashirama, still grinning. Besides her, Tobirama choked on air and coughed into his sleeve.

Hashirama watched the pair behind raised eyebrows. He willed himself not to chuckle at her. She was supposed to be an assassin of his, emotionless and terrifying, not the girl who flirted with Tobirama and caused himself to giggle. A girl who was not supposed to be recognized by his wife. She was supposed to be darkness incarnate able to be here then leave without notice.

In the meantime though, she was making quite the lasting impression.

Tobirama at last cleared his throat and met his brother's eyes. "What is this about? Why was I called here?"

Hashirama paused before groaning and scratching his head. He sighed once more before explaining. "Ms. Mae was intended to go on this mission alone, but Madara voiced his concerns...and well, not only has he insisted a member of the Uchiha Clan attend, but also a Senju…."

Tobirama leaned back and tilted his head, his lips pursed and his eyes wide. "Madara suggested this?" The man snorted before eyeing Amaya carefully to see her response, which was nonexistent. "I would think he would be the last person to want a Senju attend."

Hashirama shrugged indifferently. "Either way, I nominated you to go and lead this mission. I also went ahead and had my assistant create a detailed description of the Mae Clan's abilities along with a description of the mission." The Hokage gestured to a pile of white folders to his right. "I suggest reading through this before the mission begins as it is vital to know what is coming."

Amaya smiled wryly, chuckling under her breath at his words. How kind of him to put it in those words, as if they could predict her clan's forbidden jutsu. She, herself, was already ironing herself for Tobirama's reactions to her jutsu, the horror his face would take, the fear in his eyes and the blade for protection. His uneven breaths in the night, as if expecting she would go after him when the moon was out.

The knock on the door jarred Amaya out of her thought and she focused on Hashirama's reactions. Like any other trained ninja, he was quick in hiding his emotions and the greeting he called was normal, though slightly strained. Tobirama on the other hand was filled with foolish rage at the chakra on the other side of the door. Amaya's smile quirked at the unexpected advantage she would have, to know who called for the hatred of Tobirama Senju.

The door opened slowly, revealing a tall lanky man with hair black as night and obsidian eyes. His emotions were carefully contained as he examined the room, his eyes falling on Tobirama before looking at Amaya. She smiled in a cruel fashion when he met her gaze but revealed nothing but a narrowing of his dark eyes. He stepped in and walked up to the Hokage's desk, a foot in front of Amaya, ignoring her.

"Lord Madara sent me." His voice was deep and rough and Amaya did not miss the callous tone he carried when speaking to the Hokage. It was common knowledge that the hierarchy in the Leaf Village was still rocky, especially when it came to the rivalry between the Uchiha and Senju clans.

Out of the corner of her eye, Amaya watched as Tobirama's lip curled slightly in an angry snarl, her mouth twitching slightly at the tension between the two. The Uchiha member spared the silver-haired man no glance as he addressed the Hokage.

"Ryou, so glad you could finally join us," Hashirama smiled despite the curtness of his tone. Amaya grinned widely at that. It seemed the Hokage could be catty when it came down to it. Ryou did not miss it and decided to bow slightly to the man who held his fate. Tobirama retreated to the wall with a sullen glare at the Uchiha. She enjoyed his reactions immensely.

Ryou glanced at Amaya curiously and scratched his scalp before turning back to Hashirama with a raised eyebrow. " _This_ is who I am reporting on? She's only a woman."

Amaya could not help the snort that erupted from her but she quickly regained herself as she regarded the Uchiha. He met her gaze, almost angrily, and the woman licked her lips as she observed him. Tobirama made a noise from the back of the room causing Hashirama to glance at him before sighing. Both Amaya and Ryou ignored him, still staring at each other, both sending silent threats to look away first.

"She is the last of her clan," Hashirama's voice boomed in the room, causing the rest of the occupants to snap their heads in his direction. "She holds a very powerful Kekkai Genkai, the last of which. Though I am sure Madara explained this."

"He only told me to come here to watch someone who could threaten the leaf."

Hashirama grimaced at the man's revelations and glanced at Amaya who divulged nothing as she returned his gaze. "He was always a man of few words." He said the phrase, almost for himself. "I have files for your knowledge about the Mae clan." She Hokage held a file out to the Uchiha who took it quickly and began flipping through the many pages. Amaya stared at the pieces of paper, trying to catch anything the would be useful to her. Tobirama took his files, one for her and the other for the mission she had already memorized. A masked man had come to the door of the inn she was staying at and gave her the pristine pages. It was incredibly detailed, holding all the information she would ever need for her targets, along with another few pages.

The silence in the room was awkward as Hashirama watched the opposites read the many pages. They both only focused on the file of the Mae clan, as she had expected. Amaya let her chakra fall to the bottoms of her feet before reaching out and slowly slithering out the cracks of the door and down the hall, in search of the redhaired woman she had seen in the darkness of the night before.

She would never forget the eyes of Mito Uzumaki, the smile that could turn frightful when the need arose, the dark eyes that had met hers when she was still a young girl, coming along with her father and his men to meet with the head of the Uzumaki clan. Amaya had sat behind her father, still only seven years old when she met the eyes of the daughter of the Uzumaki head, and though the girl had many years on her, she would never forget the kindness those eyes possessed.

"The _Wind Vortex Windmill Technique,_ what the hell is that?" Ryou growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously as they stared at the lavender-haired woman. She reeled in her chakra quickly, deciding to focus on the threat at hand, and no longer search for the woman who had most-likely forgotten her. She shrugged at his question, ignoring him and the spike in his chakra told her the level of his anger. Hashirama narrowed his dark eyes at her before turning back to Ryou.

"If you would only continue reading, it would explain that." Hashirama's tone was strained with annoyance, as if he was having trouble holding himself in check.

"There's nothing about Amaya," Tobirama interjected.

Hashirama swallowed, muscles clenching in his jaw and veins beginning to bulge. Amaya stayed silent, eagerly looking forward for the Hokage to snap at his brother. "That is classified information. Only for the eyes of the Hokage."

"Why?" Both Ryou and Tobirama asked simultaneously, then glared at each other for a few moments. Hashirama cleared his throat forcefully, forcing his younger sibling and the Uchiha shinobi to turn to him.

"It does not concern you. You are dismissed. Tobirama will lead this mission now go and do it."

The Hokage was at his limit. A blue vein throbbed in his forehead and his dark brown eyes were darker than Amaya had ever seen before. His chakra had begun to leak out slightly, tainting the air in a dangerous fashion. His hands gripped the pen in his hand while the other held onto the side of the wooden table tightly. The wood began to groan under the pressure.

Amaya's heart raced with the feeling in the air and she did well to hide her widening grin. Especially because both Tobirama and Ryou were oblivious to the Hokage's anger.

"I refuse to follow orders of _that_ murderer." Ryou's tone had become flat and full of malice. She glanced at him, her face immediately dropping into a terrifying vacantness. The tomoe of his Sharingan swirled around the pupil for a few moments before slowing down and eventually stopping and the scarlet hue of his eyes burned bright. She had only seen the eyes of the Uchiha clan one other time, and she had killed the owner of those eyes.

The room had become silent. It hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Tobirama stared at the Uchiha, frozen in place, unable to defend himself. Hashirama's eyes grew wide and his mouth twisted into an angry grimace. Just as the desk in Hashirama's grip broke in two, Amaya stepped forward to face Ryou, her grey eyes glinting sharply in the light coming from the window behind Hashirama. She forced Ryou to meet her gaze evenly, despite being a full head shorter than him.

"Be careful of throwing the word 'murderer' around, boy. It is a dangerous part of one's vocabulary." Amaya turned from him and stalked towards the door, the glint from the handle of her katana catching in the light.

She threw the door open and glanced back at Tobirama and Ryou. The Senju stared at her in unmasked surprise and Ryou glared daggers at her, mostly likely imagining her death in thousand scenarios. She smiled innocently before it fell and the air around them suddenly became colder. Tobirama felt chills up his spine at the expression the assassin had taken.

"If you would excuse us, I must speak with the Lord Hokage privately." She met both Tobirama and Ryou's eyes and the two men immediately filed out.

Amaya closed to door behind them and stepped forward to stand directly before the broken desk of the Hokage. Some of the papers had slid onto the floor and the ink of fallen pens stained the floor. She waited a moment, checking to assure herself that the two men were really gone and unable to hear her words before bending down pick up some paper and pens of Hashirama Senju. The Hokage stared at her for a moment before he too knelt down to clean up the mess.

"Do you not trust me, Lord Hokage?"

Hashirama raised an eyebrow at her sudden question, glancing at her for a moment from his position on the floor. He had calmed down since Amaya intervened between him and Ryou. It seemed that she understood of what would have happened otherwise. He could never really contain his temper, and it was usually Tobirama who calmed him but the man had been just as affected.

Why would Madara choose the Uchiha who hated all Senju and the Senju who hated all Uchiha along with an _assassin_ of all things for this top secret mission. It was ludicrous, but despite this, Hashirama went along with it. He would accept his friend's request and trust his instincts.

"I do not know you." His reply was quick.

Amaya pursed her lips and nodded before standing up and placing the pens and papers she held on a shelf. "I can respect that, Sir. I also must thank you for telling them nothing of the reason for my clan's demise." She swallowed. "It is none of their business."

Hashirama nodded and eyed her carefully as he too stood. He began repairing his desk with his jutsu. "I agree with you on that. It is no one's business but your own." She stared at his wood jutsu curiously. He must ask her about it. About his wife and how Mito knew this assassin. And he was positive that Amaya knew Mito too.

Amaya met Hashirama's eyes as he sat at his newly refurbished desk. She licked her lips before speaking, suddenly feeling very self conscious. "I would like to make it clear to you that I will not betray you unless I learn of information that will clash with my beliefs. I believe that the leaf holds more power than you may realize, and you specifically can push the world in different directions. My clan was murdered because of corrupted goals, and I will not murder for you because of them."

Hashirama paused, suddenly moved because of her speech. His throat constricted slightly as he forced himself to say his next words. "Be careful of throwing the word 'murdered' around, Amaya Mae, It is a dangerous part of one's vocabulary."

The assassin's eyes widened in shock and her mouth parted slightly at his words. If she stayed here any longer, she would not be able to control the tears that threatened to well. She nodded to him, silently thanking the Hokage for his words. Words that she appreciated more than he could possibly understand.

"You are dismissed, Amaya." He nodded to her and returned his focus to the paper on his desk. _Now._

The woman bowed to him quickly before turning around and taking a few steps towards the door, hoping to leave before she would cry.

"One more thing, Ms Mae?"

She turned to him. "Yes?" Her grey eyes were wide and innocent-looking

"Do you know my wife, Mito Uzumaki?" He stared at her, holding his breath.

The grey-eyed woman froze, her small fingers curling into fists and her breath pausing. She said nothing, her breathing finally evening out. Hashirama paused watching her reaction in awe. The woman finally turned her head meeting the Hokage's eyes. Her lips curled into a terrifying snarl and her eyes had become daggers. The slam of his door signaled her leave before his eyes caught up and realized her absence.

She knew his wife. Very well.


	3. The Warriors of the Forest

**Hey everyone. Don't worry, I have not given up on this piece just yet I just took a break over the summer but I'm back now. I don't know how often I'll be updating but give me at least a month. I know I should but I don't write very often and when I do (this will sound so cliché) but I don't really control what I'm inspired by and it could be a totally different story that I'll obsess about for a few days then forget about until weeks later. Reviews do help keep me on task.**

* * *

 _Chapter 3_

 _The Warriors of the Forest_

* * *

It was loud in the forest that night. The wind did not creep up on the trees but forced its way through them, the leaves screaming in protest. The owls watched the night, their eyes searching for prey and when they found it their wings opened up and they took to the air. The sounds they made were territorial, calling throughout the entire forest in chilling screeches. Other animals prowled the night, paws breaking sticks and thudding on the dull forest floor. Tobirama listened to the night carefully, aware of every creature in the vicinity.

Ryou leaned against the back of the tree in a relaxed position, he hands folded together on his stomach and his eyes partly closed. He was as awake as any member of the team though, ready to stand and fight in an instant. His kunai lay at his side and though he blinked sleepily, his eyes were sharp and watchful. He sat up and poked the fire with a long stick, watching embers float by lazily.

Surprisingly enough, Amaya was the least vigilant and she slowly sharpened her _katana._ The whetstone against steel rung throughout the forest, echoing against trees. It was only one of the many sounds that night, but the most daunting of them all. Above her, the sky was a canvas, stars speckled in bright paint and the moon a low hanging lantern, guiding the way for the lost and weary. Tobirama would always pray to the moon, as he was once one who needed her guidance.

As Tobirama examined Amaya, he beheld the sword for the first time. It was elegant, he realized, and ancient. Symbols he could not quite make out were etched into the steel and the leather handle was worn but the designs still intricate. It was obvious that there was a good deal amount of care put into the weapon. He would go even as far to say that Amaya cherished it and the look in her eye as passed the stone along the impeccable steel proved his point.

"I think it's sharp enough, Princess."

Ryou's voice broke through the Senju's thoughts and he raised his head slightly to watch the encounter. The Uchiha stared pointedly at the woman across from him, his obsidian eyes vacant but his mouth pulling into a feral grin. He had taken to calling the grey-eyed woman the nickname, having not noticed her reaction to the first time he called her it. He did not notice the paling of her face or the widening of her eyes. Not even when her face was wiped clean and left emotionless, all in the blink of an eye. She could have been a doll; tall, cold, and callous but in that instant her heart was laid out for Tobirama to read like an open book. Her secrets spilled like wine and the fear in her eyes cut like a sharp stone, jagged and wide leaving a vicious wound.

She had replied at long last that first time, "I am not a princess."

The sentence had quivered and wobbled, a precarious phrase that caused Tobirama glance back at the woman. One hand had tightly gripped her blade and the other held her together, wrapped around her stomach. Her gaze hurt. It was no longer frozen and guarded but bare and angry and scared. It was a frightening array of emotion to see. She met the Senju's eyes and the doll returned, painted and precise, cold and frightening.

Ryou shrugged and snorted. "Never thought you were."

Yet here they were but by now Amaya had controlled herself to no longer react to his taunts. She met his gaze, unblinking. "It's not sharp enough." Though her words were acid, she flicked her wrist back with enough force that the blade swept air into Tobirama's eyes and re sheathed the blade. He blinked, shocked not only at her actions but at her scent.

He would not have assumed a woman like Amaya Mae would wear perfume. It was a lesson all ninja learned, that it was so simple to track a distinct scent. It was not your average flower, but now that he noticed the fragrance he realized that it was pungent.

Picked bones laid at her feet, glistening slightly in the firelight. The scent of roasting rabbit had caught the attention of several wolves that prowled into the clearing. Their savage eyes flicked to the trio, hackles were raised and they snarled, bringing back their top lips to reveal their yellowing teeth, still sharp enough to damage skin.

Before either Ryou or Tobirama could react, Amaya threw two dead rabbits they had caught while still walking on their journey at the creatures. One was caught in the mouth of grey beast while the other landed with a soft _squish_ before another creature had lunged for it. The animals, far larger than Tobirama had realized at first, disappeared into the forest. Their yowls and snarls could be heard for another minute before it went quiet and the forest had returned to its previous chatter.

"It is a sad day when the ancient creatures have come to us for help."

Tobirama had stared at Amaya for a few moments, surprised at her words before she continued.

"The wolves used to rule these forests before the wars. Their packs were legendary and their warriors great. Now they come to us, _begging_ for scraps. You've taken their land." Tobirama started at the tone in her voice and she met his gaze. There was nothing in her eyes.

Ryou laughed. "That's a wonderful tale but they are only beasts. It's been our land for years now." He shrugged and leaned back once more, obsidian eyes aglow in the light from the fire.

Amaya had fixed her stare on him, grey eyes narrowed and dangerous. "It was their land for centuries. And you," Amaya's gaze slid to Tobirama, her grey eyes cold and unnerving. "Take off that absurd head guard. Do you want any survivors targeting the leaf? Would you like to be responsible for the Hokage's assassination? We are unsure of our target's association with any of the newly formed villages and if they find that the leaf is attacking, it will result in _war_." She spoke quickly and surely, backed by anger. Her cold grey eyes glared at the fire harshly and her mouth tightened.

Ryou snorted but he too, removed his leaf symbol from his arm and hid it in his pocket. "What would you know of war?"

Amaya met his gaze, her eyes holding an infinite amount of sadness. "Not only the Uchiha and Senju were involved in the Warring State period, boy, some of us have still not recovered. And some of us will never."

* * *

It rained in the night, only for a few minutes and while Ryou had cursed the skies from the safety of a low-hanging branch, Amaya had only sat through the downpour, letting it drench her.

She kept her eyes closed and she was so still that a small furry forest animal had hid from the rain underneath her leg. She had only glanced out of the corner of her eye at it before staring at the ground, her eyes haunted. The small creature had disappeared when the rain had stopped and at last Amaya had accepted a dry blanket from Tobirama.

Before wrapping it around herself, she unbuckled her sword belt and let it fall to the ground along with the leather shoulder straps then stripped off her dress, one layer at a time. It began with the first layer and main layer, leaving Amaya in longer pants underneath and a breast band. Ryou kept his eyes on her curiously but Tobirama averted his gaze.

She slowly hung up the clothing on the branches of the tree besides her, revealing her partly open back. Just underneath the tightly wound cotton was the end of several long scars. Tobirama and Ryou stared at them, both shocked into silence because as they looked at the rest of her, especially when she pulled off her pants, they realized the scars covered the rest of her body as well.

Tobirama could recognize those types of wounds from anywhere as they covered the bodies of many of his clanmates and some of his closest acquaintances.

They were the marks of a victim of torture.

On the inside of her arm was a particular scar Ryou recognized as one that also once laced Lord Madara's youngest brother, before his death. This type of torture came from the Land of Claws and it was widely accepted as one of the most-painful types of torture.

Ryou could only imagine the pain of having a scalpel break into skin, peel back muscle, then crack into bone and extract sections, one sliver at a time. The victim is deprived of sleep, as part of the torture is exhaustion. Either water is thrown atop them when they begin to nod off or they are beaten awake and a sick twisted part of Tobirama was curious as to which way Amaya was roused.

The scars were covered when Amaya suddenly swept the blanket around her shoulders and sank to the ground, leaning her back against the trunk of a still slightly damp tree. She peered up at Tobirama and Ryou who had barely moved at all since she had finally turned around and raised an eyebrow, daring them to say anything.

"I'll take first watch then?" Tobirama offered, clearing his throat uncomfortably. He glanced at Ryou who shrugged and sat down against another tree, taking his bedroll and wrapping it around his feet. He did a quick jutsu to rekindle the fire and despite that the wood was damp, it caught fire.

"There's no need," Amaya murmured quickly. "We fed the wolves and in return they'll watch over us for the rest of the night."

Ryou glanced at Tobirama, his gaze telling the white-haired man that he was silently screaming inside. Tobirama sighed and turned to Amaya who met his gaze before jutting her chin out into the forest, where dusk had already infiltrated the trees. It was difficult to make out the large masses but once his eyes adjusted from the fire to almost complete darkness, he realized the wolves were staring.

He met their yellow gazes, took in their massive maws and broad shoulders and immediately knew what the young assassin had told him about the ancestry of the wolves was true. These creatures were ancient and proud warriors, made to fight, and most importantly, to defend. Tobirama bowed his head to the legendary beings and saw out of the corner of his eye, as did Ryou. When he lifted his head once more, the wolves had melted into the darkness, only becoming smudges against the canvas of the forest. He turned his gaze to Amaya who locked eyes with him before she promptly closed her eyes and appeared to fall asleep.

* * *

Tobirama had woken before the rest of them, when the sun was just rising and mist floated from the ground, slowly making it's way through the trees. It smelt of damp dirt and wood along with morning dew. It was quiet, only a few birds calling through the forest and it felt clean. Ryou was snoring on his back, having slid down the tree, his arms awkwardly propped against the trunk and his legs splayed outwards.

Amaya on the other hand was curled out against the tree, only part of her hair still visible underneath the blanket that was tightly wrapped around her. Her breathing was quiet but even from underneath the blanket Tobirama could see the slight rise and fall of each breath. Her clothes in the branch above her had dried overnight and her katana was propped against the tree, directly besides her.

Birds called throughout the forest, more and more sounding by the minute. Sunlight had begun to infiltrate the trees, skirting around them and sending long bolts of light against the ground, illuminating fallen pines. Tobirama could not detect the wolves though part of him knew they were still out there, waiting. For what, Tobirama had no clue, but they were there, watching.

The Senju had felt their presence throughout the night, a smog or miasma that no sane man would cross through. Even from inside the safety of their campsite Tobirama could detect the blatant bloodlust that wreathed the camp from the wolves, though it was not directed towards him. Tobirama could sense it was meant to go outwards, to scare off predators but despite that. It leaked to the campsite so forcefully that Tobirama had no idea how Ryou and Amaya could sleep through it.

He glanced at the form of the woman piled underneath blankets and listened to her breathing, it was steady before glancing at the sky. The clouds hung low but it was quickly clearing from the north, where the group was headed. It was also getting warmer, especially since it had gotten quite chilly during the night, so much so that Tobirama's breath had frosted in the air.

The fire had kept going throughout the night though it had become very small when the kindling had gone down and Ryou was no longer awake to set the fire. Amaya had not complained once though Tobirama had heard Ryou curse at the freezing temperatures in the first hours of the morning and heat his hand with flames.

The Uchiha had returned to his slumber but Tobirama had laid awake for much of the night, his mind on the scars that covered the young assassin. He could tell the full brunt of the torture was underneath her breast band and despite that he was curious about it, he feared what he would see. He dared one more glance at the woman, hoping his gaze would not cause her to awaken.

The ghost of a breeze ruffled Amaya's hair, causing a few strands to life in the air and lazily float in the breeze for a few moments. The purple shone like silver, glinting in the light of dawn. She gasped suddenly and leapt to her feet in a blur of movement, the blanket falling from her shoulders once she was standing to the forest floor. Muscles rippled across her torso and she extended her arm to reach for the katana and then paused, evening her breathing before glancing around their campsite. Her fingers closed around the hilt of her katana, her knuckles turning white. Her chest heaved and she breathed a title - a word that caused Tobirama to catch his breath. His mouth went dry as she turned to meet his gaze her eyes wide and crazed.

She had called for her father.

 **Let me know if you think this is a good length for a chapter. I've been playing around with how much is a reasonable length for a chapter and this seems like a good amount. Also please review, it means a lot. Tell me how you like the progression of the story thus far, give me some constructive criticism. If you don't like it, tell me a reason why.**

 **Anyway, I'll try to write as fast as I can.**


	4. The Whirling Wind Vortex

**I do not own Naruto**

* * *

 _Chapter 4_

 _The Whirling Wind Vortex_

* * *

Amaya struggled to breathe and gasped for air, choking until there were tears in the corner of her gaze, not yet spilling out but just enough moisture for someone else to notice. She lifted a shaking hand to her heaving collarbone and clutched her delicate skin there, swallowing so that muscles contracted. She looked around wildly, desperately attempting to even her erratic breathing and calm herself. Her silver eyes were hazed, unable to focus on anything.

Tobirama stared at her shocked, his mouth open slightly and his red eyes widened in disbelief. His heart beat loudly until that was all that was there until they met their gazes and he was lost in her eyes. He did not not realize that his arms were around her until after she had melted into him. By now she was hyperventilating, short bursts of ragged breath choking on words that made no sense. Some were foreign and others were lamentable and Tobirama's notion about her was finally confirmed: Amaya Mae had lived a very tragic life.

The Senju held her close, suddenly very conscious of how their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, especially because of her bare form. She eventually pushed away, her mouth parted slightly and unable to meet his eyes. She backed up until she hit a tree and she collapsed to the ground, wrapping the blanket she dropped when she awoke around her shoulders. She finally met Tobirama's eyes again and fidgeted under his scrutinizing gaze and put her arms around her knees.

She opened her mouth to speak and raised her hands but stopped and dropped them. She let the back of her head hit the bark with a _thump_. She chewed on her lips, holding her hands into tight fists. She at last rubbed her face before glancing at Ryou for a moment and then turning back to Tobirama, nervously. She averted her gaze from his several more times, always looking back up before turning away. Sometimes she stared the forest, eyes searching, maybe for the wolves or maybe for hope. Other times she examined Tobirama, everywhere but his eyes. She stared at the ashes of the fire that had long since burned out before her words suddenly rung out in the silence of the forest aching and full.

"I'm always afraid to sit with my back to a tree," She paused to chew on her lips and her eyes flit to meet Tobirama's before darting away. " I'm scared that someone's going to creep up behind me and slit my throat without me noticing."

Tobirama said nothing for a few moments, the weight of a loose headband in his pocket. He glanced at his own that stuck out of his pack across from him. He took a few steps back to sit against the tree across from the woman.

"That's why you have comrades. They're to look behind trees for throat-slitters." He gave her a weak smile, hoping that she would brighten up in response, or at least explain herself.

Instead she just sighed and shook her head slowly. She glanced at the sky, her eyes reflecting each slow cloud as it floated by lazily. She laughed bitterly, the sound dry and harsh and shook her head. She turned to Tobirama and her gaze became gentle once more before she knit her eyebrows together and she smiled softly and mournfully.

"You aren't my comrade, Senju. You'll fear me too, one day soon." She looked away, at the frosted ground, her eyes agonized and rueful. Her words were not threatening, simply incredibly desolate.

Tobirama stared up at her closely, for the first time _really_ examining her features. She was not perfect in the slightest. Her nose was upturned and tiny and her ears long and delicate. He noticed several scars that he never noticed before, one of which was a silvery spiderweb thin line along her cheekbone. Another shorter one laced the skin above her eyebrow and the last noticeable one swept lightly along her cheek.

Her anguish was beautiful and regal and it was terrible.

His breath caught and the breeze made its way across their campsite. Her hair tugged free from the loose knot at the base of her neck and tangled behind her, some strands whipping across her face. She stared at the leaves as the skittered across the ground before rising in the air disappearing into the forest.

He suddenly tipped forward, crawling until he was resting on his knees directly before the woman. She turned to him, surprised and he leaned closer until her breath warmed his lips. His scarlet eyes searched her face and she flattened herself against the tree trunk, her mouth parting in shock. He was half tempted to capture it there.

She was beautifully enticing. She was flushed, her cheeks red and full and her eyes glimmered in the light that the leaves of the trees overhead let in. Even her scars were delicate and elegant, at least the ones on her face and shoulders, silken lines sweeping across her frame. Thin marks sloped over her collarbone, disappearing beneath the blanket that she had loosened her grip on.

"What?" She jutted her chin out and chewed her lips, furiously. "Why are you staring at me."

He was gorgeous, broad and exquisite with eyes that could melt her with only one glance. She was entranced and frozen, her heart beat wildly in her chest and if he kept looking at her like _that_ , she would no longer be responsible for her actions. She desperately wanted to touch his hair, feel how soft it was. She wanted to give herself up to his piercing gaze and she wanted him to want her too.

These were selfish wishes, she knew.

She could never allow herself to have a love like her parents had. She could never have something so pure. Especially due to what she was about to do. Her parent's had an arranged marriage that blossomed into actual love. They had four children in total, all sons other than Amaya. She had two older brothers and one younger one. Her father had been the leader of her clan, strong and powerful, their clan's jutsu was mighty in his veins.

She missed them terribly.

Her eyes focused once more on Tobirama and he reached for a lock of her hair, almost instinctually. He pulled away suddenly and sat down on the dirt before reaching in his pocket. He freed a forehead protector, one of which was engraved with the symbol of the leaf. He held it out for Amaya who stared at it, wide-eyed.

"I got you forehead protector," He grunted out. Amaya could swear that there was a blush dusting his cheeks. In response, she shook her head and pushed his hand away, her fingertips lightly brushing against the metal. Chills raced through her nerves and she retracted her fingers immediately.

"It'd be best if I was not affiliated with the leaf...for everyone's sake."

Tobirama paused for a moment before pocketing it once more. He nodded, understanding and pushed himself away from her, back to his position against the tree and glanced back up at the sky.

"Shall we move one then?" Tobirama asked. "With dawn rising we should get moving."

Amaya cleared her throat and looked away then rose to her feet. "I'll wake Ryou."

* * *

The three of them hid in the trees, silently. Upon Ryou's rough awakening, Amaya had returned to her doll-like state. She was elegant and tall and emotionless and she betrayed nothing that she had only hours before. Her eyes searched the world around her and with a barely decipherable head nod, she alerted Ryou and Tobirama of their enemies. It was fourteen men in total, each armed and each with large amounts of chakra.

The men were oblivious to the ninja in the trees as they packed bags full of kunai and sharpened their blades. Some sparred in the corners of the camp while others stoked the fire. Ryou held his breath, watching Amaya instead of the group of ninja below. Her eyes were hardened into steel and her back was straight and poised.

"Hold on to my clothing when I activate the jutsu," Amaya ordered flatly, her voice was iron and her will was fire. "I will kill you otherwise."

Tobirama turned to the woman, shocked and Ryou narrowed his eyes angrily. He shifted his stance and widened his shoulders, his eyes spinning into the sharingan.

"Was that a threat, princess?" His voice was low and dangerous, causing even Tobirama to startle at the tone. Anyone else would have backed down but Amaya shrugged slowly and turned to him. There was nothing in her gaze and her words were stilted and forced but terrifying nonetheless.

"It was a warning."

Both men turned to each other, almost not by their own volition before turning back to the woman. They only saw a flash of her lavender hair before she dropped to the ground softly, not even the leaves underneath her feet crinkling. Her head tilted up, her eyes searched theirs from the angle she had, bidding them to follow. They were lifeless and horrifying and blank, as if two-dimensional.

Tobirama followed her down first, unable to meet her gaze. He stared at the men who still had noticed their presence behind the bushes. He stood tall and scanned the surrounding area, searching for any members of the camp that had strayed from their main group. After a few moments, Ryou decided to come down as well. He landed against the ground harshly, the ground shivering slightly as he straightened.

He glanced at Tobirama, pausing for a moment and they made an unspoken pact. They were in this together for the moment. They would work as teammates as long as they both reached home safely and most importantly: they would protect each other from Amaya.

Together, they latched their fingers around Amaya's offered belt and she formed her fingers into a blur of unrecognizable hand signs. They seemed to go on forever, one after another, so fast that even Ryou with his sharingan had trouble keeping up. Instead of practiced hand signs, her motions resembled a song of old. It was ancient and grievous full of mourning and woe.

As the jutsu neared completion, the wind suddenly picked up speed and clouds gathered overhead. Leaves swirled around the trio and bugs stopped buzzing and the birds no longer sang. Tobirama held his breath and Ryou froze up. They looked around them as the world began to darken. The most terrifying part of it all was that Amaya began to hum. It was a slow tune, deep and dramatic. It became quick paced at times, furious and violent. Other times it calmed down and appeared serene, though the passion was behind every note.

The wind first came from the north, chilled and strong, wrapping around them. The next strong breeze came from the south, warm and kind. The east and west were next, both battling the sun. They all became stronger, a frenzied dance around each other. The wind became sharp, a lone burst from the east slicing the cheek of Tobirama and smelling of the dryness in the desert. Blood dripped down his jaw but he did nothing to wipe it away.

When the first note from Amaya's hymn hit the campsite, the hand signs had been the finished and the jutsu was in full motion. The whirling vortex had fully gathered now and battled around the trio, beings of the sky chasing each other's tail in circles around them. The sound became a high-pitched whine. Tobirama could simply feel that this jutsu was incredibly powerful and dangerous. The chakra was heavy in the air, weighing down on Tobirama and Ryou though Amaya stood tall.

The men looked up from their campsite at the woman who stalked forward, slowly and deliberately. There was nothing on her face but a blank slate, emotionless and terrifyingly beautiful. The world around them whirled dangerously, tendrils of wind snaked out and lashed around them.

Ryou held a hand out a trembling hand out to touch the wall of wind around them, but Tobirama cleared his throat and shook his head. His red irises followed a leaf that began to skitter closer to the group and it suddenly picked itself up and flew towards the trio. It reached the wall and disappeared, ripped to shreds and disintegrated. The two ninja that still held onto Amaya's belt held their breaths.

The group of men rose together, weapons in their hands and glinting dangerously in the afternoon light. Amaya did nothing as they began to approach until they reached edges of the vortex and her muscles pulsed, all at once. The cocoon widened and the first line of men suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing a spray of scarlet and a stain on the earth. Tobirama and Ryou could not react before the next line of men came tumbling into the wind and were erased from earth.

One man raced through the wall on his own. It opened, almost as if it welcomed him. He stumbled forward, shocked that he still had his life. His happiness was short-lived as his head tumbled from his body and landed to the floor, blood splattering all three inhabitants of the cocoon in scarlet. The woman lowered her now bloodied katana slightly, letting it dip and touch the grass at her feet. Neither Ryou or Tobirama had noticed that she had unsheathed the blade. She continued to move forward, the remaining men now keeping a distance, they were horrified, disgust and fear painting each of their faces, mirroring what surely was on the faces of Ryou and Tobirama.

The woman took a deep breath and breathed out, the cocoon expanding slowly, though it went by too quickly for the men that surrounded them. Tobirama and Ryou could not let out a warning as the jutsu enveloped the men and blood became tiny droplets before falling to the ground. The entire camp had dissolved into nothing but blood staining the earth.

Rain suddenly fell, only a few droplets until it was pouring down in thundering sheets heavy and painful washing away what had happened until there was no trace. The freezing temperatures shocked Ryou and Tobirama away from the monster, from the woman, and watched her carefully.

She turned to them slowly, revealing nothing but steel in her gaze. "We should head back now. Our mission is done."

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	5. The Scent of the Rain

**I do not own Naruto**

 **Sorry guys, this isn't a very exciting chapter….**

* * *

 _Chapter 5_

 _The Scent of the Rain_

* * *

Hours later night fell and both Tobirama and Ryou stayed away from the woman. Amaya sat against a tree, her legs crossed over one another, the bottoms of her feet dangerously close to the low flames of the campfire. She appeared to be asleep and Tobirama sat up and examined her, determining whether she was lying or not. Ryou sat up as well and rested his chin on his bent knee and stared into the burning logs. He glanced at Tobirama and turned away and the white-haired man sighed deeply, leaning forward. The Uchiha spoke first, before Tobirama could say a single word.

"I can't it out of my head," the Uchiha whispered. "How is it that one second they were alive and the other there was nothing left but a spray of blood."

Ryou stayed quiet for a few moments after his words, staring at the woman who slept on with her face covered by the thick blanket she had wrapped around her. He did not know how anyone, even a demon like her, could sleep peacefully through the night. How could someone capable of so much carnage fall asleep the hour afterwards. He reached into his pocket, fingering the dangerously sharp edge of the kunai hidden. Slitting her throat would be simple, especially because she was sleeping soundly. He could do it before the Senju would even realize what had been done, blood would spill and he was sure he see all her sins in the scarlet.

Tobirama glanced up at him, sensing the bloodlust Ryou was so obviously letting out as the Uchiha man stared the woman underneath the blanket. There was a sort of _hunger_ in his gaze, lusting after bloodshed that he was surely capable of. Tobirama moved his arms to stop Ryou but something made him pause.

 _Would it be so terrible if she never returned to the Leaf Village?_

Afterall, she was a dangerous criminal, her death count was something even a killer like him could never fathom. Her past was something of legend and even as a child she was surrounded by death. She was unnatural. Though his brother ruled the newly founded Leaf justly, it had only been a few years since the village had been founded and the Uzumaki sold their heir to them in exchange for a peace treaty that would last centuries. Hashirama was blinded by his softness that Mito had pushed onto him. He should never have allowed a monster like Amaya near the peaceful denizens of his home.

But then again, her mournful words rung in his ear, " _You'll fear me too, one day soon_." The heartbreak in her voice, the way it hit him like a slap and the desolation in her eyes, those eyes that he just could not forget. He looked back to when he first met her, the way she begged Hashirama to allow her to work under him, as if it was all she had left, and as he thought about it, he realized it could be the truth.

When he followed her to the orphanage and he found that she had learned how to use a healing jutsu, an assassin like her taking the time to recover life instead of take it, had been shocking. He thought of how she made him blush more than once and that she took him out drinking and brought him all the way back home, despite how easier it would have been just to leave him at the bar, and though it was obvious she injured his fingers, the brace he still wore around his hand was sturdy and well made and the sprain easy and clean to heal and looking back at it, it was oddly humerous.

She had teased him that night, her eyes full of mirth and joy. They were so different than the day later when there was steel in her voice when she defended him against Ryou's words. Her voice had wavered when she was called royalty and her features had become porcelain.

She had mourned the loss the wolves of the forest had attained and he had seen what the world had done to her body. Her skin was a wreck, scars of her mysterious past laid out like a map. Tobirama could spend hours studying each mark, looking at what she had gone through to become the woman with eyes that reflected the skies.

Her face was an impregnable mask, smooth and perfect except when it cracked when she woke up screaming for her father. She had told him the truth of her fears, maybe not realizing that her few words gave the Senju at least some insight to the world from was from. She had refused the headband - a symbol that she finally found a home all to protect the leaf because she knew who she was and what she symbolized.

She had gone back to the mask to do her evil and though at the moment Tobirama had thought the tune she had hummed while carving carnage onto earth had been chilling and terrifying, he now realized that it was a tragic sound and now he mourned with the woman who had shown him part of her heart.

The despair in her eyes still haunted him.

He shuddered as the memories hit him, flushing at his immediate response when her jutsu had faded.

 _Tobirama had felt bile rise up his throat and before he realized it, he was emptying the contents of his stomach behind a nearby tree. Ryou had been doing the same across from him holding his stomach as he vomited. They both rose simultaneously, locking gazes and staring at each other for a few tense moments. They agreed on one thing during that silent encounter, an agreement that now caused Tobirama's shame: the woman was beyond dangerous. And they needed to protect each other from the monster._

 _When he turned back to her, he had paused. She had stared at the skies that cried, small droplets of water thundering against her skin, scarlet dripping from her fingertips, the rain washing away any sign of what had been done. What remained of the dead were littered at her feet. She finally turned to Tobirama, her eyes almost seemed black and she blinked, her eyes watering before turning away suddenly, holding her head tall._

The Senju stood suddenly, surprising Ryou whose kunai slipped from her fingers and fell to the dirt ground with a small thud. They glanced at each other for a moment before they both acted, Ryou started forward, snatching the kunai he dropped and heading for the sleeping woman. Tobirama stepped in front of him and crouched, baring his teeth in a Inuzuka fashion and flicking a kunai around his finger threateningly.

"The Hokage wants her alive," Tobirama snarled, narrowing his eyes dangerously. Ryou shifted slightly, his eyes had yet to swirl into the pattern of the sharingan though he was on the verge of casting the jutsu.

"She's a danger to the leaf." His voice was low, as if not to wake the woman despite that she had never fallen asleep in the first place, unbeknownst to the men who glared daggers at each other.

Amaya examined the men before her curiously tilting her head slightly. She rose from her seated position, the jacket around her shoulders falling. The men turned to her together, surprised that she was witnessing the ordeal. From the bags underneath her eyes and the way she stared at the men, it was obvious she was exhausted. She rubbed her forehead, as if she suddenly developed a headache there and sighed.

She picked up the jacket she used as a blanket that night and swung it around her shoulders, wafting her scent towards Tobirama. He was transported immediately to his childhood, before he knew of war. The white-haired man was taken to days of running through the forest along with all of his siblings just after a rainfall. The smell of damp wood and moss clinging to trees.

He was brought back to the days of when everyone he loved was still alive and his brother was still a child, before he met the Uchihas. It was when Itama had not been killed by those damn eye casters and the boy was still the impressionable and kind-hearted young child, romping through trees. He remembered the young Kawarama, a prodigy at only seven years old and so serious all the time.

He remembered them all and all the bickering they used to get into. He remembered climbing the trees with Hashirama, before the eldest son went off to battle. The way they would talk of the glories of battle when in reality they knew nothing of reality.

It brought him back to his mother, who used to tell him stories of why the world rained. She told him it was that the angels crying for what was happening on earth. Only later, when Tobirama was placed on the battlefield did he fully comprehend her words. Only then did he realize that the angels mourned for what humans were doing to one another and blood and carnage that followed them.

It reminded him of the death of his siblings as well as their life. It reminded him of the funeral of his brother and the way his father hit Hashirama when the eldest son had argued about Kawarama's death, about how it needn't have happened. It reminded him of his father. Of the man who loved all of his sons dearly yet allowed his cruelty to reign and sent them into war. It reminded Tobirama of the man who sent his seven year-old son into war and let him die. It reminded him of man who told his son to stop crying about a fallen clansman.

Tobirama's hands shook as his memories washed past him and he glanced up, swallowing and realized that Amaya Mae smelled of freshly fallen rain. He met her gaze and for one terrifying moment he thought he saw tears in her eyes. Then she blinked and it was gone, replaced by cool distain.

"Figure this out yourselves," She muttered and turned her head away slightly, towards the leaf village. "I'll be reporting the mission to the Hokage - as a success."

She said nothing as Tobirama's scarlet eyes bore into her, like daggers and the way Ryou carefully shifted his weight, as if she was going to launch her jutsu at a moment's notice and he had to run for his life. She said nothing of the weight in her chest, as if she were being suffocated just by how the two of them stared at her, as if she were a rabid creature, and could strike at any moment. She had noticed how both of them had gone to bed holding onto their weapons, as if she was going to slit their throats in the night.

If she truly wanted to hurt them, weapons would not save them.

She turned away from them and made her way forward, pushing her hair away from her eyes, her gait slow but confident. She did not turn around and the men did not move to follow until she had long disappeared from sight.

* * *

Mito Uzumaki stood in the basement of the Hokage building, staring at the family registry she had brought with her from her clan home. Her hands drifted over the foreign symbols that the woman had spent hundreds of agonizing hours being taught by Amaya's older brothers when she was still a girl. The symbols of Amaya's name contrasted starkly against white parchment, the black ink swirling around the page right next to her oldest brother, Mito's first love.

Mito gave the paper a sad smile, thankful that Hashirama was oblivious to just how close his wife was to the Mae clan. Hashirama was a genius in the eyes of his people, though Mito knew how idiotic the Hokage could be. He was even incognizant to the rising tension of the Uchiha clan, and Mito knew those bastards were planning something.

Nothing could ever make her trust the snake Madara. One of the only things she agreed on with Tobirama was that the Uchihas were planning something and the Senju only had so much time until it happened.

The red haired woman and flipped through the book to a portrait. Her throat constricted as she examined the small drawing, and her fingers ghosted over the boy's cheekbones. Haruki was beautiful, like all the members of the Mae clan, though his beauty was glorious. Unlike the Senju who were large and proud, the Mae men held a certain ethereal elegance.

The woman were often times delicate and tall, as if a gust of wind could send them spiraling away. The men were taller and stronger than the average men of the world, frighteningly so. Despite their lustrous beauty, they were incredibly terrifying and even now, years later, the memory of that clan both warmed Mito's heart, and caused a chill in her bones.

Mito kissed the picture, her hands shaking and tucked it back unto the registry. She stowed the book back into the shelves and took the candle from it's place on the table and made her way up stairs onto the first level of the Hokage mansion. She walked with purpose, her hands still shaking slightly and ignored all attempts to garner her attention.

She knocked quickly on Hashirama's door and before he could respond she opened the door. Hashirama glanced up in surprise before he smiled pleasantly. "Hello my wife." He raised a curious eyebrow but dropped the files in his hand on the wooden table and rested his head on his knuckles.

"Hashirama," She replied curtly, chewing on his lips.

The man could not help but smile curiously at his wife. She was preoccupied with her thoughts, her dark eyes narrowed dangerously at the ground. Her fingers played an invisible sangen until she paused suddenly and the Hokage realized his wife's hands were shaking. He moved immediately, standing from his chair and skirting around his desk to hold his wife's fingers. Her eye's widened in surprise but she looked up and nodded, squeezing his hand response.

"Are you okay, Mito?" His voice was reassuring and kind, a voice that inspired hundreds of shinobi.

She held her breath and nodded, reaching out to caress his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. His mouth was soft and his tongue smooth and it warmed Mito. This is what she loved about Hashirama, this side of him. It was the part of him that no one but her ever saw and it was loving.

"Hashirama," She broke from the kiss, resting her forehead against his and met his gaze. "I want to speak with Amaya Mae. I want to know what happened all those years ago."


	6. The Tears of a Lady

**I do not own Naruto**

* * *

 _Chapter 6_

 _The Tears of a Lady_

* * *

Mito Uzumaki made her way up the creaking stairs, her long silk kimono trailing behind her along with three young attendants and four hidden ninja. She appeared to be perfectly at home in the dangerous neighborhood, a pleasant smile adorning her lips and nodding slightly at all those who stared at her in shock. She owned enough presence to cause all eyes to be on her, though the intensity in her stare allowed no one to meet her gaze for long.

Paper seals hung from her tightly bound hair and she watched the world around her, sharp, intelligent and trained eyes detecting every single irregularity in the building she entered. Her chakra, though not massive, was spread across the building, precise and perfect for detecting any dangerous lifeforms. Her memories of being a ninja had never abandoned her, and even as a noble with many guards she was almost painfully aware of her surroundings.

She had heard late last night from her many attendants that the assassin, Amaya Mae, had returned that night and gave her report to the Hokage. Her spy, an observant servant who could fade into the background easily, had told her that Amaya's report had been brief and vague enough that even he did not understand it.

He nor any other of her spies had been present when Tobirama and Ryou returned back to the leaf, hours later. Mito had heard that they had stayed in his office for hours and though her spies had tried, they could catch nothing from the conversation. The red-haired woman was not worried about this. Hashirama had come to bed early in the morning and fell right to sleep, a sign that he was not overly disturbed by what his brother and the Uchiha had said. Mito had also sent her spy to track Amaya and report where the grey-eyed woman lived - it was a successful mission which thus brought the wife of the Hokage to her current quest.

The assassin rented out a room in the rural north part of the village in district six's apartment complex in room number 217. The building was crude, to say the least. It was not taken care of, as shown by the dusty walls and broken light fixtures. Broken windows were patched up by wooden beams and moths had eaten holes through the shades.

When Mito knocked on the assassin's room, it was as if the entire building held it's breath. The red-haired woman waited a total of forty-seven seconds before the door opened and a sweaty katana-holding Amaya opened it, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Several kunai seemed to have been hastily placed along her body, two in sheaths on her waist and another two strapped to her ankles. A thin knife was kept in a holster along her bicep while another was sewed into the waistband of her dark tight pants.

She breathed heavily with a thin sheen of sweat that covered her body. Her clothes were tight-fitting, almost to a scandalous level and Mito could not keep her eyes off the many scars that covered the woman. Mito met the woman's glance and found herself losing herself in the assassin's eyes.

"Yes?" Her lavender hair had been pulled back to the top of her head, the ends lightly brushing her shoulders and waves bounced as she shifted position, her lips pressed tightly together.

Mito almost lost it there. She almost threw her arms around Amaya, sobbing and sniffling and ignoring those who watched from the shadows. She almost fell to her knees to ask just one simple question about what happened all those years ago. She dreamed that Amaya would tell her but Mito knew that doing such things would get to nowhere. She knew her tears would gain the unnecessary pity of her attendants behind her. It would allow the ninjas that guarded her to snort at the quivering wife of the Hokage and ignore her past as a dangerous ninja. It would also cause Amaya to close the door on her.

Instead, the high-classed lady straightened her shoulders and painted a delicate and well-rehearsed smile on her face. She inclined her head slightly to acknowledge the woman before her. Mito tilted her features back up and tightened her fingers together.

"May I enter?"

Amaya Mae paused to chew on her lip before nodding silently and allowing the red-haired woman to pass into her threshold. She closed the door on the attendants that attempted to follow and turned back to the wife of the Hokage. At last, Mito allowed her eyes to well-up and her throat constricted as she said the words that waited for years.

"I've missed you, Amaya."

The assassin paused and glanced at the woman, nodding. She pursed her lips, looked away, then turned back. "I've missed you too, Mito." Her voice wavered slightly at the words and a single tear leaked from Mito's eyes.

Before either women realized it, their arms were around each other. Mito's embraced almost suffocated the assassin but instead of fighting the surprisingly strong woman off, Amaya closed her eyes. When she opened them, a warm feeling began to rise into her chest.

And suddenly, the hole in her heart began to heal.

* * *

Tobirama Senju had literally no idea what he was doing. He had run around the leaf village for what seemed like hours now and his fear had faded slightly. He could almost call his words an overreaction, if his pride allowed it. He had stormed into his brother's office, spouting about how Mito was going to get herself killed, going after an assassin like that. Hashirama had replied rationally, with that goddamn annoying smirk of his, asking why an assassin would kill the wife of the Hokage.

It was ironic really, that the usually cool and stoic sibling turned into a bumbling, angry idiot with everything that involved the grey-eyed assassin. His words had turned harsh when speaking of the woman, claiming that she was simply a demon in human skin, that Hashirama knew nothing of her true nature. It was only when his brother had asked if he genuinely knew her, like the white-haired man had insinuated, that Tobirama had quieted.

He had left the room, the words still ringing in his ears, even hours later.

"Sensei…"

He swiveled to the owner of the voice, finding a young genin with his hands in his pockets and a bored expression on his face, despite the excitement in his eyes.

"What are you doing here Hiruzen?" Tobirama stared at his young genin, raising an annoyed eyebrow and crossing his arms.

"Lord Hokage sent me to tell you where the Mae woman was residing," the boy said with careful boredom, drawling out his words and scuffing the ground with his sandals.

The man almost turned to throttle the child but held himself in check. He could only imagine the look on Hashirama's face if his brother was charged with the murder of his student. Tobirama sighed and raised an eyebrow, his tone dangerous. "Where?"

Hiruzen paused for a moment, mimicking his teacher by also crossing his arms and smirking. He tossed the words to Tobirama boredly, turning slightly as well, like he was waiting for the man to say something else. Sadly for the young Sarutobi, the white-haired man was already racing away before the boy was done speaking.

He raced along the buildings, propelling himself with unkempt and spiraling chakra until he found the complex he was looking for. He raced up the stairs, taking two at a time and pausing outside the room to where Mito's three attendants waited. They leaned against the walls lazily, fanning themselves languidly and chuckling at the words of each other.

The young women straightened when they saw Tobirama, each bowing to him with a slight blush. One smiled at him and bit her lip suggestively rising from her bow slowly and puffing out her chest. At any other moment, Tobirama would have laughed at the tiny woman. He preferred the rougher kind of women than those of the court. Of course that didn't mean women like Amaya who held no sense of delicacy in the slightest. She was coarse and humorous in the crude sort of way that Hashirama found hilarious.

He turned to knock frantically on the door and when he raised his arm to do just this, he heard a whimper through the wood. He paused for one moment that lasted for infinity before kicking open the door and racing inside, chest heaving with the exerted amount of effort and the adrenaline the raced through his veins. He froze once inside the room and stared at the women before him, his mouth parting slightly in shock.

Mito was sobbing. She was holding onto the hand of the assassin as if it was the most precious thing on earth while raucous sobs left her lips and hit Tobirama like waves in the ocean. Her tears were horrifying to watch, such heartbreak and fear in the emitted sounds. She seemed to attempt to gather herself once she noticed that Tobirama had entered, wiping at her eyes and holding her breath so that the sobs came less. He watched the woman for another few seconds until Amaya stood, detangling herself from Mito, her silver eyes daggers.

She bared her teeth as she growled out her threats, "Get. Out."

Tobirama Senju had never heard words more terrifying in his life.

Mito straightened, still sniffing but regained her posture and politely ordered him to close the door, an edge in her tone. He bid what was asked before turning back around, ramrod straight staring directly at Amaya. The assassin sat back down at the kitchen table and leaned back in her chair, her jaw locked in anger and glaring at the wall. More scars that he had not noticed originally laced her arms, though none were as horrible as the ones that covered her back.

The assassin lifted her chin, like she was attempting to look down on Tobirama - she was succeeding - and glanced at Mito, as if requesting permission to throw him out the window. Mito snorted her denial, shaking her head and asked the man to sit. He realized that her words were an order by the anger in her gaze and moved to sit between the two women.

"I didn't realize this was _your_ home Mito," Amaya grumbled, standing suddenly and glancing at Tobirama for a moment. She moved into the kitchen and opened some of the cabinets, looking for something. She clucked her tongue in annoyance and the man shifted in his seat uncomfortably. It was a sound so normal that Tobirama had to double check that it actually came from her. She returned to her seat empty handed, crossing her arms like a petulant child.

She arched her back suddenly, staring at Mito who was oddly silent. The assassin's hand brushed against Tobirama's hands causing him to blushed and immediately retract his hands from the table. He kept them clasped underneath the table while staring at the floor, still beet-red.

 _God fucking damn this woman_. _What was she doing to him?_

He also thought of her words just now. _Teasing_. She was just teasing the wife of the Hokage, like old friends. He glanced up and watched as Amaya leaned towards Mito familial exasperation lining her face. Mito grinned, her eyes full of mirth and humor despite the previous tears that had been shed, she glanced at her brother in-law and pursed her lips, suddenly turning serious.

"I've known Amaya for years, Tobirama. We grew up together, actually, as the Mae and Uzumaki clans were quite close. We, in fact, often married into each other's families. We were also both the daughters of the clan leaders so it was only natural that we grew close. Amaya was like a little sister to me, truthfully."

With that, Tobirama realized that the grey-eyed woman was actually once a princess of a clan, and realized how cruel Ryou's words actually were. A low groan rose from Amaya's throat as she glared at the red-haired woman. "Mito…."

The Uzumaki lady waved off the assassin's warning with a wave of her hand. "Does it matter?" It wasn't really a question.

" _Tch_." Amaya sucked on the inside of her lip, extending her legs and crossing them over each other, taking up the majority of the space underneath the table. For some odd reason he did not mind that their legs occasionally brushed.

Mito resumed her story, suddenly grave and sucked on her bottom lip. "I was to be married into the Mae family, you know." She met Tobirama's gaze and his eyes widened in shock. "Plans changed when we heard that they were all massacred...but I had fallen in love."

"With my brother," Amaya told him brusquely, glancing away. "She had fallen in love with my eldest brother, Haruki." Her words seemed final and so very sad.

That was something he had not expected. The fact that Mito was to be married off before Hashirama was surprising, but not as much of the fact that Amaya had once had siblings. It had shocked him that the assassin once had a family. He could not fathom the concept that she once had someone she had loved with all her being. Also, that like him, her siblings had been killed in the wars.

Mito stayed quiet for another few moments before suddenly clearing her throat and meeting Tobirama's gaze. "Amaya had just finished telling me, what happened - what happened on that day that he - _they_ all died."

Tobirama had forgotten, or looked over, the fact that her entire family had died on a single day and all that was left was a single little girl. He stared hard at the scratched table. _How had she survived?_ He did not know if he could have, especially that it had been during the warring period.

Amaya scratched her head and met the other woman's gaze and nodded slightly to the Senju. Mito nodded at the assassin before standing, her eyes still shining. She closed them for a moment, recollecting herself before she was smiling once more.  
"I'll be taking my leave then, Amaya, Tobirama. As the Lady of the Hokage I must be performing my duties. I'd like to hear what happened next, Amaya. After his - _their_ deaths...what happened to you."

She turned away, her silk kimono brushing against Tobirama and leaned over to press her lips against Amaya's forehead and she murmured her words into the woman's hair. "Please tell him the truth."

Amaya's eyes grew in surprise then closed them but she did nothing as Mito turned around and made her way to the door. She shut it behind her gently and the two ninja watched her chakra signature and those of her attendants and hidden guards follow her out. Amaya paused, pressing her lips tightly together before suddenly clearing her throat. She met Tobirama's gaze while chewing on her lip and stood suddenly.

Tobirama mimicked her, springing to his feet in response and taking a few steps towards her. She stared at him surprise and gave him an ancient smile. "Can I get you some tea?"

He declined and walked towards the window to peer out and check the surroundings. Kunai littered the floor and Tobirama would consider it dangerous if not for the fact that he knew the way they were littered would cause any attacker in the night to stab himself in the foot. She kept her sheathed katana in her hand while she watched Tobirama stalk around her temporary home.

"I would have assumed you'd buy a house," Tobirama said suddenly, prodding at the standing punching bag. He gave a few light punches, sending the entire room vibrating. "To make your life here _seem_ permanent."

Amaya raised an unimpressed eyebrow, understanding his implied words. She shrugged instead of arguing and gave him a sarcastic grin. "My landlady will complain if you keep hitting the bag at the moment. She leaves at around four every thursday until the next morning if you wish to come back then and try it."

Her words were not sharp, nor were they inviting. She was teasing him, like she had done in the bar when he had too much to drink. A flirtatious teasing in which he was falling directly into the trap. "Maybe."

She chuckled flatly at the response, more for the sake of filling the absence of sound more than the humor of the words. She sat back down at the table, setting the sword before her, her fingers lightly resting on the hilt. She stared at him out of the corner of her eyes and Tobirama realized that she was scared.

He joined her at the table, sitting across from her and took a good look at her blade. He could not control himself when he asked to see it out of it's sheath. She obliged unwillingly, slowly pulling it out and Tobirama was shocked at how wellmade the blade looked. He could attest to its beauty. It was a wonderful blade and only when he asked to hold it did she pause. After a few tense moments she nodded and seemed to struggle to hand it to him, chewing her lip the entire time it was in his hands.

"It was my father's you know," she said suddenly, biting her bottom lip as she met his eyes and took back the sword. "My father made the blade."

She began to speak of him quickly, describing the way he seemed to dominate a room whenever he entered, though it may have been the fact that she was only a little girl when he was still alive. She spoke of how he treated the rest of the clan, as if each woman was his sister, each man his brother, and each child his own.

She told him the way he loved her mother, a true love amidst the the political affairs. He had said no woman would do unless he loved her. The assassin had smiled at her words and stared at the ground and told him with a sureness that her father had been incredibly spoiled and stubborn. Her words made Tobirama think that she had once been that way as well.

The lavender-haired woman spoke of his honor, how he never accepted a mission unless he was given evidence that the people he had been sent to kill were not people who were good. He only wanted to send people to hell, when heaven was never an option for them.

Her smile was infectious as she told him of her father had walked into the kitchen and found her and her siblings having eaten their entire supply of sugarcane and had forbidden them another sugary treat until after winter. Her words here wistful when she spoke of how she took down her first deer in a hunt, and they way he had ruffled her hair and put her on his horse and led the rest of the hunt home.

Her words could hardly be heard through her gasping laughs as she recounted the time she and her siblings had gone swimming in the lake down the hill and she had almost been pulled by the current all the way past the forest until her father had just happened to pass by back from a mission. The look on his face, she told Tobirama while giggling, was priceless.

Her tone suddenly turned solemn as she spoke of when he had told her that everyone in the clan would never have the option of going to heaven, that the sins they've committed for would travel through generations and even if she never took a life, her ancestor's burden, and his burden, had tainted her soul. He had paused at that, at the fear at the edges of her tone and the way she averted her gaze from him, and the shame that was emitted from her.

When she finally began to slow with the stories, did Tobirama speak.

"Why do you use your father's blade when you have...that _kind_ of jutsu?"

She was quiet for a few moments to determine her question, rubbing the leather hilt with care and finally glanced up with a wry smirk. "If you can believe it, it's no fun killing indiscriminately."

He blanched at her words.

She paused before continuing, thumping her fingers on the table and the white-haired man realized that her nails were bitten down to the quicks. Her knuckles were scarred and there were scabs covering each hand. Bruises surrounded joint and the soft skin around it and when her other hand joined her first, he saw that her left hand's pinky finger had been cut off at the first digit. He also found white slits on either sides of her wrist, little lines that were so clean cut, it was as if she had done them with a razor blade.

"I cannot choose who to kill with that jutsu. I cannot protect who I want to protect. At least with a blade I can choose who I wish to kill and who I wish to save."

He stared at her strength for a few minutes until she then spoke of how her father never taught her how to swing a blade like he did with her brothers. Her smile was ghostly when she told him with the utmost sincerity that she used to hide in the branches of trees and watched her brothers practicing. She then would teach herself the proper stances later.

She paused after that, swallowing and clasping her fingers together before taking a deep shuddering breath and staring directly behind Tobirama, as if she was incapable of meeting his blood-red gaze. "I was eleven years old when my clan was killed and I was taken from my home and turned into what I am today."

Tobirama was shocked into silence by her suddenness. He said nothing for the several moments that Amaya was quiet, steeling herself for the next story. It was the first time, he realized, that she did not put up her mask to hide her emotions. Instead, she was flushed and desperate, her fingers digging into the wooden table. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes turned glassy as they stared at nothing. Her breath became uneven - short, erratic gasps and when she spoke, her voice was shaking and cracking.

"I was only eleven years old when I killed them all."

When she met his gaze at last, by all the gods he wished she didn't.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So the story of the past is just beginning! How will Tobirama react to this news? Is he correct in thinking that Amaya is a monster? Tell me what you think in the reviews! Thanks to everyone who has followed and favorited and especially to my beloved reviewers.**

 **hanae-croix** **\- I'm so sorry for getting back to you so late but thank you so much! It means so much to me that you want me to update more**

 **IronMaidenJane** **\- my thanks to you is so long overdue but I'm glad that you think this story is awesome**

 **Loopy** **\- Your boundless enthusiasm for the story keeps me going. You have no idea how happy I am that you think that Amaya is a badass and that you want more.**

 **starrat** **\- thank you so much for reviewing as knowing people like my story allows me to be excited to keep on going, and to take everyone along with me on the ride.**


	7. The Bitter Clan

**I do not own Naruto. It's my birthday today so I decided to treat you all with a super early chapter :)**

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 _Chapter 7_

 _The Bitter Clan_

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The duo sat at the small rickety table, staring at each other in complete silence. The white-haired man was almost positive that the assassin across from him could hear his pounding heart without straining. Tobirama prided himself in being a man who thought things through. He was a man with a plan and he utilised his strategizing to the fullest. This was where the problem lay. He often had difficulty adapting to difficult situations. So when Amaya Mae gave him her words, it was as if time itself stopped moving.

Her lip quivered some more as she turned away from his eyes at last and wrung her wrists tightly. He must have heard her wrong. If anything she must have been mistaken. It was impossible. Simply impossible. There was no way a child of eleven massacred her entire clan of assassins. He was frozen in place as she continued, her eyes shining with tears.

She began the rest of the story, by setting the scene in the forest at only ten years old. She spoke quickly, as if Tobirama was going to silence her at any point, as if she were running. He examined her quickly and found that if he indeed did attempt to take her life, she would put up no fight. She was staring at the ground and her hands shook and her muscles quivering. Instead he listened, waiting for her to correct herself - she never did.

 _Eight Years Ago_

The daughter of the leader of the Mae Clan hid in the forest behind a particularly large tree trunk, her breath wild and uneven. She chewed on her lip, her grey eyes flickering through the forest. Even the small amount of training she was given was enough to clue her in to where her assailant was tracking her.

She made a quick decision as the being made another few steps towards her hiding spot and jumped out, throwing a handful of pine cones and dried leaves into the eyes of her older brother. Her let out a shout of surprise and stumbled backwards and in the few precious moments the young young girl had left, she disappeared into the forest, now silent.

From her perch on the branches of one of the tall trees, she watched Haruki curse his decision to teach her silent step. She had grasped the concept of the jutsu with a shocking amount of ease, mastering it in only few hours. Even the most talented hunter in the Mae Clan had trouble finding the little girl once she had disappeared.

Amaya grinned at her siblings from her perch, watching the scene unfold for a few moments. Haruki looked around blindly, searching for their other siblings. At fifteen years old and only a few days from sixteen, he would much rather be doing something - rather _anything_ \- else than playing hide and seek with his younger siblings but after some pleading on Kaiko, Tsubasa, Kiyoshi, and Amaya's part, he had relented.

Kaiko, at fourteen, stood in a tree opposite of hers, sending her a wink then giving her a motion to move on. Tsubasa, at thirteen years old and feigning hatred at the world, sat on a tree trunk boredly, already found and now sulking. Kiyoshi, only twelve and rapidly approaching thirteen, was hiding in plain sight, covered in leaves and motionless and Amaya could sense the massive grin that pulled at his cheeks.

The ten year-old girl moved on, flinging herself from tree to tree. With her small little hands, she grasped on to the many branches of the trees and swung herself forward, relishing in the freedom she rarely experienced. She continued to move on, losing herself in the wind and the sky.

It had been over an hour until the little girl slowed down and realized with a sinking feeling that not only was she lost, but her chakra was almost completely depleted. Dusk was quickly approaching and the moon was only just beginning to appear in the sky. This forest was dangerous at night for anyone. It was filled with rogue ninjas, renegades, convicts on the loose, wolves and chakra-infused animals.

It was not the appropriate climate for a child of ten years to say in the least.

She heard the village before she saw the lights. As she neared, she began to notice details. Happy civilians dancing under the stars, lanterns strung up and food all around. Women danced in long flowing skirts and tops that showed their navels. Jewelry glinted in the lights of the lanterns and as the men stared at the women, laughing and drinking.

Amaya had only heard of festivals from her mother and had never experienced one first hand. It was then, that Amaya noticed a young girl watching from a table who was watching her. The young grey-eyed assassin clambered onto the table and from there a hasty friendship was born.

Her name was Michi and she taught Amaya all about the life of a villager. Throughout the night Amaya followed the girl through the village as she explained who her friends were and which women kept candies in the pockets of their long skirts. Hours later when the moon was fully risen she had been found by Haruki and had been brought home, ignoring the villager's watchful stares.

A week later, Amaya had returned to the village and had seeked out the young girl who had been her first friend. She made her way back home before anyone noticed she was missing. It went on like this for several months. She would go to the village some mornings and stay until the afternoon before evening training. No one would notice her absence and if they did, she almost always had a ready excuse. Maybe she had been training with a secret new technique to best her brothers with. She may had gone to the river to fish with her hands. She might even venture that she was tracking down some deer.

In those few months, she had given away secrets to Michi that her father told her to never say aloud. She had explained the way of her clan and all the people she had killed, despite her young age. She gave away the secrets to her clan's jutsu and had sealed their fate.

It was a week after her eleventh birthday when she returned to the village for the last time. Spring was just breaking through, the snow having melted leaving puddles of cold mud and slushy water. She had been invited in by Michi's parents and given some tea for the cold weather. Amaya thought it unnecessary to tell them that she spent survival exercises in the cold for days on end with nothing but a knife at her and did not find this weather troublesome.

Amaya later ventured that they slipped a sedative in her hot drink, causing her to fall unconscious. When she became to regain consciousness, she found herself being shoved in a metal cage. Michi and her family watched, her father counting a wad of bills in his hand. It was the first time the young girl was betrayed, but certainly not the last.

 _Present Day_

Tobirama was silent during her recount of this tale, his hands clasped together tightly and watching her every move, drinking up her rare expressions like it was the elixir of life. When she finally paused, her jaw locking into place, he did not know if it was for a breath or to recollect herself and he finally asked for a cup of tea. It seemed she was thankful for the distraction because she stood immediately, banging the table in the process and made her way into the kitchen. She scanned through the cabinets, as if she had forgotten where she kept the tea pot. When she finally found her head and the teapot, she filled it with water from her indoor plumping unit. She moved to the stove, her hands unmistakably shaking and water sloshing over the thin hole in the top. The woman set it on the edge of the stove and moved to shuffle through the drawers to find the flint and steel.

He realized his request was a bad decision after her seventh attempt and gratuitous curse when she failed to light it due to the shaking in her hands. He stood slowly, watching her carefully as she growled at her hands and made his way towards her, one small step at a time. She barely noticed him as he came up behind her and could not tear his eyes away from her many scars, so beautiful and so very tragic.

He took the flint from her hands quite suddenly, causing her to startle. His fingers brushed against her bruised knuckles and his arms grazed against hers while his chest skimmed against her back. It seemed as if she held her breath. He had no idea what he was doing but when she leaned back for only have a second and pressed herself against him, it felt... _right_. She breathed out her thanks, closing her eyes and Tobirama brushed against her fingers as he flicked the flint against the stone and the flame flickered to life.

They stayed there for another few moments, both of their hearts beating erratically until Amaya suddenly ducked from underneath his arms and moved to the corner of the kitchen, crossing her arms across her chest, her cheeks flushed with color.

 _For fucks sake, she was finally blushing because of me...My god what am I doing?_

God dammit, she was telling him the story of how her entire fucking family died and he was making a fucking move. He was the one who was supposed to think things through. He knew his place in the leaf - he was a strategizer. The man who brought reason to the Hokage. But for whatever reason, he could not find reason within the assassin. That beautiful, tragic, porcelain, fucking assassin.

He blushed as well, flushing up from his neck to his entire face, almost matching the shade to his eyes. He covered his face with his hand, peeking out from the slits of his fingers to stare at the teapot full of water. He dared a glance at the grey-eyed woman but she was filing through her drawers once more, her back facing towards him.

She had come up with some tea leaves and had poured the scalding hot water into a shaking teacup, burning her hand terribly in the process. He had snatched the teapot as her skin turned bright red and it began to peel, cursing at her stupidity. She had done nothing as he examined the wound except retract her hand from his and sat down at the table, hiding her wound. Amaya had trouble beginning, and when she finally found the correct vowels, she spoke quietly, finally slowing down.

She tilted her head and stared at the ground, swallowing nervously and playing with her fingers as she spoke, "You see I loved my family dearly," she murmured, her eyes drifting along the wall, "but I was different from them all. My jutsu was _cruel_. The Mae Clan technique differs on the person casting the jutsu. Mine had always been darker, more powerful. It was the reason I was treated with incredible care by others."

She paused once more to wet her lips and to fiddle with the handle of her mug of tea while chewing on her lip. Her teeth were white, Tobirama realized, almost blindingly so and he was unprepared for the tear fell onto the wooden table, staining the wood dark. She wiped her face roughly and took a deep breath and composed herself.

She spoke of the drug she was given upon the arrival at the mercenaries' camp. Her voice was taut as she told him that she later became addicted to the chakra-infused injection. She spoke of how she became more compliant when she was given the drug. She spoke rather quickly on how she was easier to manipulate, and especially much easier to cast genjutsu on.

When she spoke of what went down in the mercenary camp, she stopped suddenly and she glared at the table with her hands balled up into fists. Tobirama reached into his pocket and wordlessly took her hand and began treating the burn with his med pack.

She stayed in her quiet fury without moving for almost an entire minute, staring at his kind actions. When she began to speak again, it was of the drug.

His surprise came from when she said in passing that she had only gotten clean in the few months prior to coming to leaf. He soon found himself annoyed by her vagueness, how she could mention something that seemed to be life-altering but she gave the explanation no more than a sentence or two. He found that he was enraptured by her tale, and completely captivated.

She continued on with her story, staring at her scared and bruised knuckles and finally in control of her voice. The tears no longer fell from her cheeks and she kept herself formal and assertive.

"With my _compliance_ , they brought me into the forest...and had me lead them to my clan."

Her voice cracked once more, out of her control and tears gathered in her silver eyes. He was wrong with the notion that she was finally in control. She was crumbling right before his eyes. She laughed bitterly at the ceiling at a sudden thought while digging her nails into her skin, her hand gripping his tightly. Tears fell to the table and she ground her teeth together.

She met Tobirama's gaze and he was shocked to find the bloodlust there, just waiting to be let out and reign over it all. He found that he was not worried. He did not make the signs for his jutsu to contain her, or ready his chakra to flee. He simply sat there and stared into the eyes of the crying kunoichi.

Her tone became weary as she continued to speak, and she sounded so very old and so very tired. "I was told to kill them all. And they didn't even have to put me under a genjutsu. I had no will to fight them. I was already broken."

Her words made his blood turn to ice, simply at the thought of what they did to her in their camp, and the massive and deep scars along her back. He did not fail to notice the faint silvery trace of a scar just underneath her jaw, a perfect place to threaten someone. The image of a child being tortured by fully grown men flashed through his mind.

Tobirama closed his eyes.

Her words were quick, that her aunt and uncle were first. She did not speak of how easy it would be for her to go after them first, as they lived away from the rest of the clan and no one would hear their screams. She also did not speak of the fact that their jutsus were underdeveloped and they were easy to murder. She did not say a word of the look on their faces as they died. She said nothing of the shock and fear morphing their once kind features into an ugly memory.

The white-haired man took a breath.

She quickly mentioned the deaths of her cousins and only gave a vague estimate of their numbers. She said nothing of how she remembered each and every one of their faces and their names and their ages. She told him nothing of how she remembered each of their favorite dishes, or if they preferred sweet or sour. She gave him no memories of how they trained together so she knew each of their weaknesses and preyed off of that, as if they were animals. She did not speak of the memory of their deaths, the way they had all smiled and welcomed her into the cottage at one minute and then the next when they realized that blood speckled her cheeks. She told the brother of the Hokage nothing of their screams.

The red-eyed man gripped the edge of the table.

She stumbled over information of how she murdered her friends but said nothing of the fact that they were just children with no grasp of their jutsu. She did not tell him that their blood drenched her, and that it took years to wipe clean. So tiny, such small little bodies that were simply wiped from the earth, only a bloodstain or ribbon left. She said nothing of their young screams and the sudden stop to their hearts.

Tobirama's chakra rose.

She quickly gave him the knowledge that their parents were next, as they ran out of their homes at the absence of their children's chakras. She did not say that she fought against them with more effort, or that their blood stained the grass, too. She did not say that their deaths caused a ripple effect, and more of her aunts and uncles and cousins and friends continued to pour of the village. She did not speak of the horror on all of their faces, or how she ripped them apart so easily. The pounding footsteps of the adults that raced out, so scared that their young, tiny, children were dead. The anger, their so very reasonable anger at the tiny girl who had laughed in their homes and played with their children.

The brother of the Hokage forced himself to stay sitting.

She paused after that, her breath shuddering and her head still lifted high, despite the weight of her words. She played with the thin chain at her neck, taking it out of her shirt and playing with the rings that were looped onto it. Her voice was so incredibly strained, so sad and so vacant. "My mother," she uttered quietly, "my mother was killed next by my hands."

She did not tell him that her mother had been in the deeper parts of the forest alone to gather herbs for medical treatment and had seen her only daughter decimate her friends. She did not say that her mother's scream still rang in her ears, years later. Amaya said nothing of how she was lashing out at her mother before she knew what was happening. The grey-eyed woman only mentioned that she retrieved her mother's wedding ring, not that all that was left of the woman who raised her was a silver ring. Her hands shook as she pictured the face of the woman who had giggled at her jokes and who told her that she was a princess and that she was _special_.

Tobirama wondered where the other two rings came from.

She paused and he thought for one heart-racing moment she was going to stop there. He believed her to suddenly tell him to leave and threaten him to forget she ever said a word. He thought she would detangle her hand from his and demand him to leave. He thought that she would release her jutsu in one massive blast and completely destroy the leaf village, and he definitely believed her capable. Instead, she buried her face into her hand and took a deep, shuddering, and raw breath.

Her words were so quiet that the white-haired man had to strain to listen to her voice. It was her siblings who were next and she spoke of them with her throat constricted. She did not say much of her encounter with them, but her tears were enough. They fell through the cracks between her fingers and stained the wooden table. Her tears were so quiet, silent almost and so very lonely.

She said nothing of how Tsubasa and Kaiko attempted to fight her while Kiyoishi was frozen in place. She did not mention that Haruki had just stared at her and pleaded for their lives. She did not say that her oldest brother had begged for his brother's lives and how she slaughtered them without a word.

She only stared at Tobirama as tears streamed down her face and dripped onto the wooden table. She lifted her head and spoke, her words toneless, "I killed my brothers as they begged for their lives."

He shuddered.

She did not mention her father at all. She did not tell him that he had not moved one inch from his chair. She did not say that he had been waiting for her during the entire massacre, or that he had smiled at her when her jutsu began. She said nothing of how when he told her that it would all be okay one day and that he loved her, his skin had already begun ripping to shreds.

She did not speak of the next silver ring on her necklace, and she certainly did not speak of the golden one.

Amaya stared at her hands, flexing them then relaxing the muscles, if just to pass the time. She spoke suddenly, without any warning and Tobirama looked up in surprise, examining her blank expressions. She met his gaze once more and he was frozen in time and space by the fear and intensity.

"I don't know why Mito wanted me to tell you of my past, Senju, but for whatever stupid reason that vixen has, I hope you understand that I am at fault and that I am repenting. I am here for personal reasons to protect the citizens of Konoha. I want to save what little part of my soul I have left. This village is special, Tobirama."

Tobirama stayed quiet at the end of her tale as his eyes watered beyond his control. He did not know if he was breathing or dreaming. All he had was more questions from her tale. When he finally broke through the feeling of drowning, he spoke once more, his voice thick.

"That doesn't explain the scars."

Amaya paused and looked at him with widened eyes. She then turned away and laughed too loudly, removing her hand from his. "You want to know more about me? I just gave you all my secrets."

The man paused, suddenly cold from the lack of contact. "You've only spoken of the fate of your family, not yourself and certainly not the scars on your back."

The woman turned to him suddenly, and began to snarl, her top lip pulling back only showing a glimpse of her white teeth. She controlled her face before she fully threatened him, turning away to stare at the curtained window.

"After they had me kill my family, the men took me and enslaved me. They owned me for two years until I found my escape."

Her words were too sudden for Tobirama to understand fully. They were too forceful to be real and too terrifying to be believable. Despite all this, Tobirama did not doubt her, and with that realization he knew had sunk too deep into her eyes, especially because he wanted more.

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 **A/N**

 **Here is the history of Amaya's clan! This was another long chapter, but I hoped you enjoyed it despite the length.**

 **Tell me what you think of it all:**

 **Is this all to Amaya's story or is there more? What do you think of Amaya's betrayal to her clan, despite that she was only a child? Is Amaya finally beginning to trust Tobirama and will he ever trust her back?**

 **Please review, it means so much to me and it gives me fuel to keep on writing.**

 **starrat** **\- you always know the right thing to say, thanks so much**


	8. The Mask of an Assassin

**I do not own Naruto**

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 _Chapter 8_

 _The Mask of an Assassin_

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The morning was colder than Tobirama expected, and the snow that drifted down around him glittered in the sun. It was the type of snow that melted within a few days, puffy and easily pushed together. It was a snow more difficult to fight in. Amaya was unusually silent as she stood in the trees staring as the sky fell. She smiled as the snow lightly dusted her cheeks and caught in her long violet hair. The strands had darkened as the months passed and Tobirama found that he preferred this darker shade.

She had not moved in such a long time that snow piled on her shoulders and the top of her head. Her eyes searched the frosty terrain before them, silver orbs like daggers. Her mouth was set in a soft line and she looked pensive in her silence. Her cheeks were red from the cold and her eyelashes had snowflakes caught in them.

"Shall we move on?" Tobirama asked loudly, though he had no need to shout with such volume. Birds flew from the nearing trees and disappeared into the trees close by. Amaya jumped slightly, snow shifting off her shoulders and falling to the ground several dozen meters below her. She glanced behind her, raising an eyebrow and he smirked at her, his red haze piercing through the white world.

She chuckled and leaned back, letting go of the trunk and falling. She drifted for a few moments, almost suspended in the sky before plummeting to the ground. The world was silent as she fell, and Tobirama's heart jumped into his throat. The young assassin landed in a pile of snow that poofed up into the air, like a miniature mushroom cloud, then disappeared into the several feet of snow.

Tobirama waited another half of a second more than he expected for her to sit up and his heart sped up. He was suddenly fearful that she had miscalculated and had just snapped her spine. Had that been the crack of a branch or her neck?

 _Oh God. Oh GOD._

Had he just watched the death of the last living member of the Mae Clan? What would Hashirama say about this matter? Would someone come after them? Would there be an inquisition about this? What happened to the dead bodies of assassins. He should burn it, as the body of those with a kekkei genkai. There were creeps and weirdos everywhere. Did necrophilia happen in the Land of Fire? He had forgotten. Just when he was about to go recover her body, the silver-eyed woman popped up from the snow with a wide grin. She outstretched her arm with her palm upwards and sent him a smirk that never fell, even when the man glowered at her angrily.

He finally relented and pulled her to her feet, putting a little too much muscle into his actions. She landed surprisingly close to him, their bodies almost touching and despite himself, he smelled her hair and almost groaned. Her scent was different this time, neither the repugnant smell of the overwhelming flowers nor the heartbreaking reminder of his childhood. She was fresher and sharper; the spices of winter.

After a few seconds of eye contact, Amaya suddenly pulled away from him and stared at the direction they were headed, her heart beating angrily in her chest. When she had decided to move to the leaf village, her plan was never to befriend the brother of the Hokage. All she wanted was to protect the goddamned leaf, and finally be accepted.

She never wanted to find the brother of the Hokage entrancing, or funny. She didn't want to see him and have her heart beat faster. She never wanted to get lost in his eyes, the red that reminded her so much of her deeds. He was beautiful, in some odd way, so very beautiful.

The mission she and Tobirama was sent on was a simple one, a smaller mission in between a slower pace in the world. There were no murders to be made, or mercenaries to shut down. It was a mission to assist, guide, and protect a trading caravan. They had only encountered two or three groups of bandits, and even then they were simple to handle. None of them were well-versed in ninjutsu and Amaya and Tobirama had overpowered them with well-placed taijutsu.

When Tobirama had mentioned offhandedly that he was surprised that Amaya had not used the Whirling Wind Vortex Technique, which she replied with a horrified stare. To think that she would use a jutsu of that caliber on simple bandits who only wanted money to feed their families. Their acts may had been illegal in the Land of Fire but it most definitely did not warrant their deaths. It was incredibly dangerous and high powered and was designed for the specific purpose of killing.

Not to mention, using that jutsu was like using a drug. The high influx of special chakra that it sent through the user's bloodstream gave him or her and a high that lasted for hours. To a rehabilitating drug addict like her, it was most possibly the worst decision to use that type of jutsu nonchalantly.

She refrained from using the technique, despite that her blood boiled and mouth salivated at the thought. During the battle with the bandits, Tobirama had been oblivious to her discomfort. She had channeled it through giving the thieves some harder than maybe necessary blows.

The duo walked in the soft snow, each step taking more effort than if they had just ran through the trees, but Tobirama was insistent. He claimed it was very dangerous, as it was slippery and for shinobi who were needed by the village, it was an unnecessary risk.

He claimed it was most definitely not the fact that when they had first begun using the technique on their way back, that he slipped and fell. He made is abundantly clear that it was _not_ the pain in his back that allowed him to make a more definitive choice. It was also made very clear that climbing on Amaya's back and letting her carry him back to the leaf was especially not acceptable.

They had walked in the white silence for several more hours, every once in awhile making a comment but otherwise the duo stayed quiet. Amaya was content in watching the world pass by, as she rarely travelled like _this_ in her life. Without being chased.

They found the body only three hours later, just an hour and a half away from Konoha. The red on the snow allowed both shinobi to lock in on the mass from a mile away. They approached the body slowly with a hand carelessly holding onto their weapons and poked the body. The assassin surmised that the man had been dead for at least a few hours. Freshly laid snow covered much of him though it was easily swept off by Amaya's gloved hands. She stared at the body for a few moments before turning it over, looking for a clue of the identity.

Tobirama watched from behind her shoulder for a few moments before retreating to lean against the trunk of tree, boredly. He barely paid attention as Amaya shuffled through his pockets of the man, reaching inside and coming up with a needle and thread from one pocket, and from the other, a headband. It was a _hitai-ate_ from the leaf. He leaned forward, suddenly interested and very threatened. He looked around the forest his chakra slithering out to check for other signs of life.

"Don't bother," Amaya murmured, laying the man back down, "Natural causes."

Tobirama glanced at her. "Could be poison."

"No, natural causes." She shook her head and kneeled back, the snow crunching underneath her knees. She leaned forward and pushed the body over while continuing to look through his belongings. There were a few kunai there, a gas bomb in a hidden pocket and a picture of a woman and infant in his front pocket.

Tobirama looked away but Amaya acted as if she saw nothing, putting on her mask and pulling off his jacket. He vaguely thought about disrespecting the dead, but with all that he had seen, this did not seem too sacrilegious. She found a symbol on the back of his shirt, a symbol that caused Tobirama to narrow his eyes.

"We should move on," he muttered gruffly, silently telling her that there was no use arguing. She glared back at him arching a single eyebrow.

"Does the Uchiha crest really frighten you this much, Senju?"

He growled back at her, a deep sound in the back of his throat that caused the hairs on Amaya's arm to stand. She stared back, restraining herself, and feigning unimpressed. She sighed, boredly.

"We move on." His tone was more threatening this time, more final, but Amaya kept her head high and challenged him silently. They glared at each other for several moments, both with narrowed eyes and fluctuating chakra. After several minutes, Tobirama snarled his anger and threw his hands up in the air and muttering about how they could spare a few minutes to bury the body.

He began to look around for something to dig with, oblivious to the assassin's stare. She cleared her throat softly and when he turned around, she pinned a surprisingly soft glare at him.

"We bring him back, Tobirama. For a proper funeral pyre. Any leaf shinobi deserves one." Her grey eyes were unblinking. "Especially one that died alone in the cold so close to home."

He shook his head, glaring harshly at the body of the young man, probably rivalling his own age. Her words were true, especially to him, a tried and true shinobi whose honor triumphed any other feeling. Despite this, he could not find sympathy for the dead Uchiha. He growled once more and scratched his head before muttering an agreement and going to lean against the tree.

She immediately got to action and took a scroll from her pack, laying atop the body and beginning to do the seals. Her blood suddenly began to drip from her finger over the seal before he realized that she had swiped the kunai across the soft skin at the edge of her thumb. With a poof of smoke, the body disappeared and scroll rolled up, leaving only an indent in the snow.

He watched her for several more moments before speaking, "I never knew you were a Fūinjutsu user."

She glanced at him curiously and gave him an impish grin. "When will you learn, Senju, that I am not just a hired assassin? I was in the wars too, I know how to survive, not just fight."

She stood up with that, stuffing the scroll in her backpack and stretched her limbs. She nodded towards Tobirama before continuing forward at a brisker pace. Tobirama kept in line with her, shooting the assassin glances as the time passed. It seemed that he was not done yet learning about the silver-eyed woman, not done indeed.

Her words were sudden when they finally caught sight of the village gates, rushed and quiet, like she had been thinking about them for quite some time. "Senju, why do you hate the Uchiha so much, especially after a peace treaty and alliance?"

He glanced at her, narrowing his crimson eyes and sighed, scratching his head. He looked at the world around them, pausing a moment before they returned to the main road.

"The Uchiha has killed everyone…" he paused turning away to stare at the ground, his voice breaking slightly, "Everyone other than Hashirama, that I have ever loved."

She stared at him, her eyes widening. She wanted to reach out to him and take his clenched fist in her palm. He shuddered, almost imperceptibly and glanced up, his scarlet eyes dryer than they had ever been before.

"Wouldn't you hate the person who killed your…."

He paused at his mistake, slowly drifting out of his sentence and turning to stare at his feet, eyes huge and his mouth parted. Amaya stayed quiet for a few moments watching his reaction with a small, sad smile and ran a hand through her hair, her eyes flicking to the worn road.

"Yeah, I know."

Her voice was so quiet that Tobirama had to make sure that he had not imagined her words. They were such forlorn words, so heavy and sorrowful words. They were words that whispered her tragic past, like the brushing of leaves.

"I understand, Tobirama. I truly do, but I also believe that this fallen shinobi was not directly responsible for your brother's deaths."

She stared at him carefully, quiet and kind, though her words made his blood begin to boil. He turned away and marched onto the main road, his steps threatening and large and his eyes narrowed his anger.

"Don't tell me what you think when only you were responsible for the deaths of those you loved," he snarled over his shoulder, such hurtful words that Amaya's eyes darkened and for some strange reason, it felt like a senbon had pierced through her heart.

She wanted to yell back at him. She wanted to curse his words and growl that she was used. She wanted to hiss that she was only a little girl, that she had no control over her actions. She wanted to tell him that every night she remembered them and felt the pain of their loss as if it was new. She wanted to scream that she knew what he meant, that many of her cousins and aunts and aunts and friends had died from outside the clan, that they did not die by her hand. She wanted to grab hold of the collar of his shirt and thunder the truth, that she knew what loss from others felt like, and she knew what being alone felt like. She wanted to whisper in his ear that she could relate, and that she could help.

Instead, she was quiet. She was quiet as she walked onto the main road and she was quiet as she entered the leaf, right behind Tobirama. She was quiet as he growled to her that he would report to the Hokage and that she could get some rest. And she was quiet as she ignored him.

She moved on through the village, making her way through the many entrances to the clan sections and finally finding the one she wanted. The Uchiha crest was displayed proudly on their banners. She made her way through the gate, her breath misting over and suddenly incredibly weary. Those who wandered around stared at her curiously, raising eyebrows and exchanging hushed words.

She moved on and caught the attention of an older woman. "Can you tell me where I can find the leader of this clan? I found a body - one of yours."

The woman's eyes widened considerably and her breath hitched before giving breathless instructions. Past the bakery and in the dark wooden building was where his office was. A simple dwelling where Madara Uchiha did his paperwork.

Amaya made her way there, nodding respectfully at those who stared at her and ignoring the hidden shinobi in the shadows. She held her breath while knocking on the wooden door, and when her reply came, she let it go and went inside.

* * *

Tobirama Senju found himself racked with guilt as he left the premises of the Hokage mansion. He never should have spoken to Amaya like that, and the look she gave him afterwards was even worse. When she did not say another word, he had noticed the smothered rage, the fire in her gaze that promised pain.

She had left without another word, sending him another angry glance before disappearing into the crowd. This was why he was making his way to the assassin's apartment several hours later, directly after he had given the report to the Hokage.

The way to Amaya's apartment seemed to be ingrained into his memory, and he found himself heading there before he even made the decision to go and apologize. The image of her silver eyes glaring at him still replaying in his mind.

When he reached her door and knocked, Amaya did not answer. Suddenly panicking that she was ignoring him or being murdered, he picked the lock and ran inside, only to find that the kitchen and living room was completely empty. It did not take long for him to hear the bath running and assumed that she was bathing and oblivious to his presence.

He walked around the apartment, taking in the smaller things, like the metal war fans placed on a worn bookshelf. He picked one up and flicked it around, finding it surprisingly wellmade and sturdy. It held beauty as well, intricate designs on the front and vivid colors. He placed it back down and moved on into the bedroom.

Her bed was unkempt, sheets pulled back and crinkled with clothes strewn over chairs. The bag from her mission had been dropped right beside her bed and it seemed she had gone directly to the baths when she returned home.

He looked around the room, peeking in some of the drawers. Bottoms of perfume lined the top of her set of drawers. He went to the one on the other side of the room, right in between the bed and the wall, and pulled open the drawer. Inside was another box and Tobirama's breath caught.

The box itself was completely beautiful; it was intricate, delicate designs etched into the sides. There were foreign symbols, dragons and wolves and birds warring, such fierce emotions drawn onto their faces. There were flowers along the edges, and wrapping themselves around the creatures who fought. Such beauty in a small medium.

He opened it carefully, after picking the iron lock of course, and moved the cloth covering before his breath hitched. It was a broken mask, a beautiful broken mask. It took him a few minutes to lay the pieces on the bed and place them back together, though when he was done, he stared at it in silence.

The mask depicted a crying wolf. In red and gray it outlined that various features of the creature, curving for a snout and to fit a head nicely. He let his hand glide over the smooth finish and he turned over some of the pieces to find words in a foreign language, words that he did not understand.

He almost screamed when Amaya gasped as she walked into her bedroom, wearing nothing but a towel around her body. She scrambled back, reaching for any sort of weapon making an embarrassing screeching noise. They both fumbled around for a few moments, Tobirama finally realizing that his panic was useless and that a sputtering assassin was oddly hilarious.

"Amaya!" Tobirama exclaimed, trying to control his laughter after he had calmed himself.

The assassin glared at him, finally getting control of herself and straightening, narrowing her eyes angrily and her lip pulling back into a terrifying snarl. " _My fucking god, Tobirama!"_ She hissed furiously, hunching her shoulders up and storming past him into her room. "What are you doing here?" She yanked a robe that was draped over her chair and pulled it over her shoulders while simultaneously dropping her towel. Tobirama looked away, blushing once more; the towel she had been wearing had really tested his resolve.

She turned around as she tied the string of cloth around her waist, and arched an eyebrow. She quickly reached behind her and bound wet hair into a low bun before she pierced Tobirama with her gaze. She opened her mouth to speak but when she caught sight of the broken mask, all color washed from her face and her mouth parted slightly.

He was not prepared for her tears and he was definitely not prepared for her sobs. It was a reaction that came sudden and hard, after such a long time of continuing to hold everything inside. He could do nothing as she sobbed, holding her stomach and tears streaming down her cheeks. She fell to her knees and sobbed into the palms of her hands, such raucous sounds.

Tobirama did not realize what he was doing until his arms were wrapped around her and he was on the floor rocking her body. He found himself threading his fingers through her wet hair, holding tight and bringing her closer to him.

She did not fight against his hold, only stared at the broken mask like it was the last thing on earth, her sobs hitting him each time they left her lips. She wrapped her arms around his, her body shuddering and ready to shut down. She screamed her rage and hatred and sadness. She screamed her fear. She bared it all out to him, like a map and the man was unsure whether she would later regret this, if he should let her grieve alone or comfort her now.

Despite it all, he was pleased to find that she fit beside him perfectly, like her body was made to melt into his, even as she sobbed against his chest. Her tears vibrated through him, her sobs shaking him like it did her. She held her arm out, taking the largest piece from the mask and holding it close to her. She squeezed the edges, so tight that blood ran down her palm and wrist and dripped onto her bare legs.

She raised the broken piece of porcelain to her lips, brushing her lips against the smooth brokenness, her sobs for the moment, restrained. Blood coated her lips, the barest of scarlet on her bottom lip. He raised his hand and his his thumb, brushed it away, taking the broken porcelain from her lose fingers. She stared at his bloodied digit for a moment and turned to him, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

Tobirama did not know if she cried on the floor for hours or seconds, but he felt as if it was over as quickly as it came. He had less than a second to decide if he should let go and stay behind the line, or keep holding on, to this comfort and to the woman who smelled of his childhood, and take a step beyond it.

The assassin made the decision for him, turning around in his grasp, still huffing and gasping for air that would never be enough and rose her hand. Her touch reminded him of a feather, light and barely there. She moved to his hair, running her hands through the ends. Her eyes did not focus as he murmured her name. She just dropped her hand to cup her cheek. He rose his own, selfish, hand and rested it above hers.

Her silver eyes were soft to him, such beautiful layers of gray that captured him whenever he looked into them. She whispered his name, a plea more than anything. His took his hands around her head and pulled upwards while he went down and without even thinking about it, pressed his lips against the grey-eyed assassin. She kissed back immediately, eagerly, her tongue slipping by his. She tasted of iron, scarlet iron. She tasted of despair and loneliness and mostly she tasted of comfort.

When they finally pulled back they stared at each other for a few moments, lost in each other's eyes. Tobirama was unconsciously stroking her wet hair, his fingertips ticking the top of her spine while his other hand traced the scars on her cheek. She had one hand on his neck, her thumb carefully trailing a thick scar of his. Her other hand was lost in his hair.

She leaned back from him, her eyes wide and her heart beating rapidly with her mouth parted. Her chest heaved with each breath, her robe slipping down her shoulder. Tobirama stared at her, shocked at his own actions. He stood suddenly, retracting himself from her and began to moved away. He paused suddenly as he reached the door and turned around to find that Amaya was still staring at him in silence.

 _Fuck this shit_.

He moved back to her, and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her roughly. He stayed there for several eternities that were much too short and separated from her, gasping for breath. She stared at him with wide eyes and parted lips. He turned around, his cheek heating and he was sure he was the color of a ripe tomato. He left the apartment, leaving Amaya in a state of confusion and with his own head spinning.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry some of the wording in this chapter is a bit rushed but I wanted to keep behind the fourteen page line, I feel like anything more than that just becomes obnoxious and bothersome.**

 **Tell me what you think of what's going on!**

 **Foxxery:** Thanks so much for reviewing! It means a lot that you appreciate parts of my writing style. I'm having trouble putting hooks at the beginning, any suggestions?

 **Loopy** : Once again, thank you so much for the review. Amaya has a pretty sucky life as it is, so I'm trying to make it seem better for her, though even in the leaf she isn't going to have an easy time.

 **MidnightTheDreamer** : Thank you for your review. I'm glad that like that the story is slow-paced. Sometimes that really bothers me as it feels as if NOTHING is happening at all but the story is moving in each chapter, the foreshadowing especially is huge. I think I occasionally make the foreshadowing too small so it's impossible to notice it until you know how the story is going to progress. For the first time, Tobirama is giving her a look into his soul.

 **Guest** : Their relationship is one that is going to take a long time to truly become completely equal, and truthfully Amaya didn't bare her soul to Tobirama because she likes him, she did it because she completely loves Mito as the wife of the hokage is her last living family member. It's really only now, in this chapter, that Amaya can't control her emotions anymore and just breaks down and feels comfortable enough with Tobirama to cry in front of him.

 **Toreh** : Thank you for your review! To be honest, Amaya isn't supposed to be an extremely likable character. I wanted the reader to have difficulty understanding her, mostly because she is just so complex. Even she has trouble sorting through all of her masks, and who she wants to be that day and how she's going to deal with _this_ problem. Once you know what she's been through and _why_ she's like the way she is, the reader is supposed to finally kind of accept her. I'm not really sure myself, haha.


	9. Map of Scars

**I do not own Naruto.**

 **A lighter tone than the recent chapters and the upcoming ones. Also, time skips are coming up after the next few chapters so I'm beginning to label the seasons now. Time has been moving along quickly for me, haha.**

* * *

 _Chapter 9_

 _A Map of Scars_

* * *

 _Winter_

It had felt like years and it had felt like seconds since she had last laid eyes on the white-haired man. When she passed him in the freezing market with her breath freezing over and his eyes simply stunning in the frozen snow, it felt as if her heart had truly stopped. She would not call many men beautiful. Her father had not been beautiful. Overwhelming would be a better description. He was tall and wide, with a sharp angular face and deep set eyes. Her brothers might have been, if they had ever been given the chance with long, graceful bodies and charming smiles.

But Tobirama was undeniably beautiful. Amaya could see it, all the way down to his bones. It was how he walked, with a lethal grace, prowling observantly. It was how he spoke, how he hid how he spoke, actually. It was how he hid his beauty through incomplete sentences and grunts. He hid it through mutters and snarls. And god dammit, despite it all, he fucking grunted beautifully. He swore beautifully. It was the way he carried himself, agile and elegant and it was the way he saw the world, those goddamn scarlet eyes that reminded her of the mist of blood she left of her clan.

It was those little dimples in his grin, the kind that he forgot to hide. It was his smirk, the glint in his eyes that caused first a chill of her spine and the race of that lovely adrenaline pumping through her veins. It was his hair, not completely white, more grey if she had to choose a color.

It was the way he stared at the young assassin, that really made him beautiful. It was the way his stare had evolved so much since their meeting in the woods so long ago. How it was once of angry disdain, then admittedly quiet distain, then fear, then understanding. Then it was that _hunger_ in his gaze in her bedroom when she let it all go when she saw the mask.

That goddam mask.

It was a mask of her childhood, or what should have been her childhood. It was supposed to be hers. Supposed to have been given to her on her sixteenth birthday, for her first lone mission. It has been crafted at her birth and destroyed sixteen years later when she finally was able to hold it and it shattered in her grasp, by a thrown rock.

The result had been disastrous. When she finally shook herself out of her anger, the entire town of the young assailant had been completely destroyed, the town of Michi. None had been exempted from the slaughter - no one at all. Blood had covered the silver eyed girl, completely soaking into her clothes and staining her skin. Many of it still stained her.

It was his eyes that brought her back to the present, inquisitive, burning scarlet eyes that stared at her. It sent burning hot blood racing through her veins and an inconsolable grin that pulled up on her face. She chewed on the inside of her lip as she greeted him, her eyes narrowing slightly as he struggled to respond.

That fucking assassin did not realize the effect she had on him.

She did not realize wearing that dark blue hat which made her eyes seem to glow made him utterly speechless, that his words had been frozen on the tip of his tongue the moment she smiled at him. She did not know that the way she chewed on her lips made him want to bite them himself, and every other part of her body, too. She was completely oblivious that the way she looked up at him through her lashes made him want to do unspeakable things to her body. She didn't know that the way she played with the ends of her loose sweater made him want to rip it off her body.

That fucking assassin knew exactly what she was doing, and loved the way it made him squirm.

They stared at each other in silence, much longer than what would be only a little awkward. The silence became stifling, both turning to stare at the surrounds around them. Tobirama suddenly stepped forward, past he, nodding silently towards her then stomping on. She turned to follow his movement, her mouth hanging open and blinking stupidly.

 _Was he ignoring her after a minute of silent eye contact?_

He continued moving hunching his shoulders over and refusing to look back. She turned around, just to see if anyone had witnessed what had just happened. Just to make sure she wasn't just seeing things - it wouldn't have been the first time for hallucinations - Tobirama had really just ignored her.

Potential words whirred through her mind, from scathing angry comments, to confused blubbering, all the way to faking a crying episode. By the way Tobirama had reacted the last time she cried it wouldn't be completely useless to her.

"Are you busy tonight?" She blurted out instead, surprising even herself.

Tobirama paused mid-stride and looked back, his blood-red eyes wide. He too looked around, and gestured to himself while raising an eyebrow. Amaya nodded, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks and the need to crawl into a very dark hole, far, far away from here. She shuffled, wrapping her finger around her hair, forcing her head to be held high.

God dammit, she turned into a complete mess when it came to him.

"No, uh, no I'm not doing anything tonight," he replied shaking his head, "why?"

She wet her lips and shrugged while resting on the balls of her heels, appearing completely unconcerned, completely nonchalant. "I was just curious. I seem to have purchased too much for one person and I'm not fond of leftovers."

A complete lie. She loved leftovers. It was so simple to reheat a meal, not go to the length of creating another one. It was the reason she bought so much in the first place, to eat more tomorrow morning, some tomorrow for lunch, and if she was feeling truly lazy, some for dinner the next night as well. Tobirama did not have to know all that though.

The white-haired man looked at her, truly astonished. "You want me over...for dinner tonight?" He brushed the snow away from his hair and off his shirt.

Amaya paused and looked at the rest of the alley, completely ignoring the way his collarbone now peeked out of his loose jacket. She turned away and narrowed her eyes at the snow covered path. Was dinner not a usual meal for conversing in Konoha? It couldn't be true, she had seen many customers in restaurants late at night.

She paused before speaking, giving him a confused look. "Yes…?"

"I see." He nodded slowly, not really seeing anything at all.

They both paused for a few moments until Amaya spoke. "Is that a yes, you're coming?"

Tobirama blinked, staring at her for a long moment, then cleared his throat and nodded, much too casually. "Yeah, I'm coming."

Amaya smiling at him, failing at trying to hide it and nodded. "Okay." She bit her lip. "I'll see you later." She turned around and walked away, the warm feeling back in her chest again, slowly filling it.

* * *

They took the shot together, tipping it back simultaneously and swallowing together. When they turned to each other, they were grinning and giggling with a _wildness_ in their eyes. Almost drunk and with _that_ look was a dangerous combination.

The remnants of dinner, which had been takeout, sat on the table, forgotten, but enjoyed. They had moved into her living room to drink the saké that Amaya had bought on a whim on her way home. She never planned to get drunk with the man that made her heart flutter like a child. She was not expected to be sitting on the floor across from him, betting on their scars with their legs touching.

She tapped her cheek pensively, scrunching up her nose as she thought with a devilish smirk that was doing god-knows-what to Tobirama's resolve. Her cheeks were flushed and later Tobirama would question why she thought it was safe enough to get drunk with him - why she was trusting him when only weeks before he wanted her dead. She met his gaze and pursed her lips, waiting for the right moment to attack.

"Left elbow!" she shouted, leaning forward and showing off her scarless elbows. She challenged him with a gesture of her chin, daring him to say she was wrong. When he stuck out his elbows, she was careful in looking them over, even extending a finger to prod the skin. The woman grinned when she noticed the tiniest of silvery lines skirting around a freckle of his. She quickly poured him a cup, sloshing the drink onto the wooden ground slightly but had him throw it back and swallow it in one gulp.

A flushed Tobirama leaned back onto his hands. He thought for a few moments while the silver-eyed woman shifted to sit cross-legged. He flicked his eyes to her, oblivious to the way it made her burn and smiled. He leaned over slowly and tucked his finger into the top of his sock. With an exaggerated flourish, his whipped it off and brandished his heel before her, like a weapon.

"Heel," he challenged, his eyes alight.

Amaya gave an overemphasized gasp, and put a hand to her heart. "How did you know?" She exclaimed, a small grin tugging at her lips. She began to pull of her woolen sock.

Tobirama puffed out his chest. "You could say that I have a sixth sense."

She laughed at that, full-throated and turned to him, her nose crinkling. With utmost sincerity she spoke, "how did you know that I don't have one there? Drink!" She shoved her foot in his face, causing him to lean back. He glared at her for a little more than a second before accepting the small glass that woman pushed in his hand. While he shot the drink back, she tugged off her other sock and tossed them in the corner.

"You see Tobirama," Amaya lectured carefully, with an irritatingly smug smile pulling at the ends of her lips as she crossed her legs once more and faced him directly. "This is a game of the mind. Right shin."

He offered her a full cup which she threw back with almost no complaint. He indeed had a scar on his left shin, but his right shin was completely bare. She put the cup back on the floor carelessly and rested her head on her arm, waiting for his challenge. Tobirama looked pensive for a few moments, tapping his jaw until he grinned at her. It was a grin that made her heart speed up.

"Butt."

Amaya tried not to smile. "You've got to be more specific," she scolded, leaning back while holding her ankles together, still smiling mysteriously.

He quieted for a few moments, narrowing his eyes. "Left buttocks."

She laughed at that, loud and heartwarming. Tobirama liked that fact that she laughed more when she was drunk. She held her cup out, huffing slightly and rolling her eyes. He took the bottle from the ground and poured it into her cup, smiling widely. Before she could tip it back, he demanded the story behind it.

She snorted and looked at him for a long moment. "It was one of first missions that I had...acquired on my own. I was new to the whole thing about no retraction team so I was careless. After that, I was so angry at him that I beat him into a bloody pulp." She gave a forced laugh looking away and running her fingers through her knotted hair.

He ached to ask her if she killed him. He ached for the knowledge of how far her corruption went. He wanted to know if she truly was rotten to the core. Seeming to sense his unasked question, she continued on.

"I didn't kill him - he didn't warrant any more blood on my hands but I was still super pissed."

With that, she shot back the drink and rolled to the ground, her feet up in the air. Tobirama joined her on the floor, lying down besides her and pulling on her violet hair. She swatted half-heartedly at his hands and shifted so that she was lying on her back.

"Show me," he growled his demand, still pulling on her hair.

She laughed loudly again, rolling away from him and sitting up woozily, like the world was spinning around her. "In your dreams, Senju," she slurred, grinning.

He gasped teasingly, his dark eyes flashing with amusement. "How did you know?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, though she smiled afterwards. She crawled forward suddenly and pulled down the neck of his shirt. He growled his surprise staring at her, annoyed but she just glanced up at him and traced a silvery path down his collarbone.

"You didn't tell me where this one was from, _Senju_." She purred the title, a little smirk on her lips and her eyes flashed up at him. Leaning back, she held onto his shirt for another few moments, her cold fingers tracing along his warm skin, until she let go of it and allowed her hand to fall to the ground.

"I was fighting this bastard named Izuna Uchiha," he began, giving her his most ravishing smile. She stiffened at that, swallowing and sobering and looking away. He paused, staring at her worriedly.

"What?" He growled, narrowing his eyes though his heart picked up speed.

She looked away, staring at the ground with a forgotten expression. "Don't talk about death like that."

The world froze around him as he stared at her, only the thundering of his heartbeat left for several long moments. He had assumed the name would mean nothing to her, that Izuna Uchiha would just be another member of that forsaken clan. But no, no that name had hit her like a slap, harsh and with no mercy.

Her eyes were sharp as she continued to speak. "Don't talk about the people who matter. Don't talk about the people who are still hurting. Talk about the nameless."

Raising an eyebrow, he paused and pulled on a lock of her hair. "Not the kind of drunken conversation I thought I would hear from a repenting assassin."

She rolled her eyes, giving him annoyed look, then turned to stare the ceiling, her hair fanning around her. "I'm not interested in looking at people and seeing their dead. I've got enough of that in my free time anyway. Mostly when I look in a mirror." Her tone was edged with bitter humor, a wry smirk pulled at her lips and she gave a short huff of sardonic laughter.

He grunted his annoyance and rolled over to sit up. "But what if I needed to talk about it? _My guilt, Amaya!_ " he exclaimed, clutching his heart and falling back to the floor, his arms sprawled at his sides. He shifted slightly to glance at her but her body was moving too fast for him to react. Suddenly, she was straddling him, fisting the collar of his shirt and snarling angrily, her teeth bared. Her silver eyes sliced through the air dangerously, her pupils slits.

"Don't mock my guilt Tobirama," She hissed quietly, nothing gentle about her words.

He paused, his mouth tightening and nodded, almost imperceptibly. "I'm sorry, I'm not mocking. I know what guilt feels like, too."

She hummed her agreement and her gaze drifted downwards before she stiffened, suddenly realizing their position. Slipping off of him gave the white-haired man the opportunity to slid his hand around her waist and pull her to the ground beside him. Staring into his eyes, she only welcomed the feel of his lips against hers. It was an angry kiss, aggressive and violent with entwining limbs and heavy breathing with so much to say and no words to explain it.

He turned slightly, breaking off the kiss and let his other hand drift from where it had entangled in her hair to to caress her cheek. Amaya glanced at him, raising an eyebrow and smirking through panting lips, warming to his heated touch.

 _How bold of the snowball._

Tobirama's fingers ghosted over her neck, tracing some of the thin lines on it and Amaya fought off a shiver. His hands were warm when she was so cold. He leaned forward, directly beside her ear, his breath hot.

"Next time, maybe I'll see the scars that you won't show me just yet - under all those _layers_."

He breathed the last words and Amaya cursed the fact that she was blushing like an idiot. She turned to him with a smile she was trying to fight down but failing completely. He reached up slowly, agonizingly slowly and with the pad of his thumb brushed along the scar right underneath her jaw. She swallowed nervously, her eyes flashing down.

"This one?" He breathed the question against her neck, his hot air heating the already warm skin. She shifted away from him and looked away, shrugging slightly. He nudged her slightly, pulling her tighter against him, holding onto her wrists. He glanced at them, his eyes widening then narrowing when he noticed the thin pale band around them. "Amaya."

She sighed and melted into his arms, while shaking her head. "It was one of my first ones...after I was taken. They asked me about my clan." She licked her lips looking away and pausing, hoping that he would just drop the question, hoping that he would understand that she had already shown too much of her soul to him. If she let him see anymore, she would be too far gone for comfort.

"And?"

There was that damned question with that voice that reminded her of warm honey and made her want to melt. It was the voice of someone she could not deny, and she hated that about herself.

"They wanted to know about our weaknesses." She flicked at the scar. "It was their way of showing me that they were for real. That if my information wasn't good enough, they would…" her voice broke and she paused for a long while, almost long enough for Tobirama to question her further. "And kill me."

He said nothing for several long moments, never taking his eyes off of her. She tensed a little, wishing that she could just back off, maybe look for some leftovers and kick him out of more than just her home.

"What of your escape?"

The assassin gave a small start, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's with all the questions? Shall I ask some of you? What was fighting on the winning side of the wars like?" Her tone was barbed and venomous, her eyes flashing angrily.

He stared at her confused and raised an eyebrow. "The wars were concluded with an agreed treaty. There were no winners or losers."

Her laugh was stark and lifeless. "Look around, _Senju_ , and tell me that you didn't win."

He shook his head. "I don't understand."

The woman shrugged and sat up, letting his arm fall to the ground. "You will at some point or another."

He narrowed his eyes, straightening as well, meeting her gaze, challengingly.

She suddenly looked away and sighed. "You really want to know about my escape, Senju? I wouldn't if I were you," she murmured gravely, barely above a tired murmur. She leaned back suddenly, right beside him and closed her eyes. "You know what, I'll tell you tomorrow."

He stared at her for several moments after, watching as her breathing evened before he too leaned back, the world spinning right in front of him. No, it wouldn't hurt just to close his eyes for a minute or two, or wait until tomorrow for her answer. No, it wouldn't hurt him at all.

* * *

 **Please Review :)**


	10. Night Rain

**I do not own Naruto. The theme of this chapter is despair. A double update in honor of Tobirama's birthday (I think it was sometime this week** **¯\\_(** **ツ** **)_/¯** **)**

* * *

 _Chapter 10_

 _Night Rain_

* * *

 _Winter_

Tobirama Senju woke up to a pounding headache and the smell of something burning. He sat up, the world nothing more than a spinning blur and ache inside his skull almost blindingly painful. He moaned loudly, a sound he would later regret _very_ much making in front of _her_ and blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes. He looked up, into the much too bright room and fixed his gaze on the being in the kitchen.

Amaya ignored him for the moment, her eyes narrowed at the pan in her hands. She stared at the burning substance with a focus so intense he had never seen the likes before in the application of making breakfast. She took a deep breath, centering herself and closed her eyes. She opened them a split second later, flicking the pan forward, causing the substance inside roll forward.

Tobirama stared at her in confusion.

 _Has she been trying to make tamagoyaki?_

She sighed her relief and turned off the gas to her single stove top, tilting the pan so the rolled egg flopped onto the plate already out on the counter. He stared at the oozing substance, with barely constrained horror and glanced up at Amaya. She stared at him openly and gestured to the egg on the plate. He tried not to vomit at the thought of ingesting it. But no, she had allowed him to stay the night and the only polite thing to do was to eat it.

Tobirama Senju, one of the strongest men in the entire world, wanted to cry.

He took a seat in the offered chair, tucked his legs underneath the countertop and was handed a pair of wooden chopsticks. He stifled a sob.

So this was the reason she had bought leftovers last night, and had not cooked and he was suddenly very grateful for that. He clicked the chopsticks once and murmured his thanks before, with a trembling hand, reached for the edge of the egg roll. He put it in his mouth and forced it to slide down his throat. He felt as the slimy substance left a film on his tongue and then make it's way through his body. Inwardly, he wept for a part of his soul had just died.

The assassin watched him curiously, her lips spreading into a small, disgustingly innocent smile. She blinked at him, her eyes flickering to the rest of the gelatinous substance and to the chopsticks that rested above the plate then back to him. Before she could say anything about his lack of appetite, he took the opportunity to speak.

"You said that you would tell me about your escape."

He met her eyes and she paused before shrugging at his words, moving to scrub the clean plate in the sink. Tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, she took a deep breath and flipped on the indoor plumbing switch, there was a loud groan from the pipes but no water flowed through the faucet.

"I guess the pipes are frozen. No water today."

He moved on from her evasion of his request, studying her from behind. In Konoha, ears usually had no more than one or two piercings per ear, but Amaya had seven silver studs on her left ear. A few were sprinkled along her earlobe, but most curved up to cartilage and one last one, smaller than the others, was placed in the middle of her tragus. She turned to face him and he saw only a single golden stud on her right ear, small and lonely. His eyes traced down to her neck where a chain was tucked underneath her oversized sweater. He had noticed it once before, but had paid no attention to it. She narrowed her eyes at his gaze, reaching up to touch the small metal links that rested around her neck but made no move to take it out of her sweater.

"Do you ever take them off to sleep?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced at the wall, her hand raising to brush past her silver studs. "Do you ever take a break from the constant questions?"

He gave her a small grin. "I'll take a break when I get my answers."

Her laugh was dry but she leaned against the counter across from Tobirama with a genuine smile. "No," she began, "I never take them off for anything."

He nodded, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "And your escape?"

Narrowing her eyes once more, she _tsked_ and straightened. "I'm not going to give my secrets away for nothing, Senju. I want information of my own." She leaned back down, lacing her fingers together, her silver eyes darkening with thought.

His heart picking up pace, he shrugged. "I have nothing to hide." A complete lie. He had everything to hide.

Arching an eyebrow, she nodded and pursed her lips. "Tell me about your father."

He looked at the assassin with unmasked surprise, his mouth parting slightly, allowing cold air past his lips. She stared at him, completely serious, her eyes unwavering as they met his. He was unused to the way she stared at him, the honesty and acceptance in her gaze. Most stared at him with fear in their eyes, fear for the stoic brother of the Hokage with eyes like blood and followed by the whispers of war. She understood.

"Why do you want to know about my father?"

"Look who's evading questions now."

He met her unflinching gaze and swallowed nervously, looking at his scarred and calloused hands. "No one would make the mistake of calling my father a kind man." He licked his lips then swept his thumb over his other knuckles, over the scars and bruises.

The assassin made her way to sit besides Tobirama on the stool pushed underneath the countertop. She leaned on her arm, her eyes trained on him curiously, tapping her finger against her arm. He could not tell if it was from boredom or nervousness.

"No one could deny his strength - he was the leader of the Senju for a reason." His bitter laugh made him cringe. "In truth, I'm not sure if he just loved us too much or he didn't love us enough, but he was cruel in his training, demanding much more from us...from _children_ than he should have. He wanted more, more for his power, more for his clan, and maybe more for us."

He shrugged carelessly, brought back to the days before Kawarama's death, before Itama's death. Before he had known of the battlefield, what war takes from a person. When his father was no more than the son of the leader, a young man with a dream to lead his clan to greatness. Tobirama looked back at his father, before war had taken it's toll.

The assassin looked towards the sink, her fingers curling into fists and her lip wavering with each word the man uttered. He was too close to home, too close to her own childhood than she had expected when she asked of this. It was too true of her own father, a man she loved with every fiber of her being who had even died for her, but had made his own children killers. She remembered the man who told her that she was a cursed being and nothing could change that. She remembered the man who had allowed their clan to kill and kill and told her to get over it, but she also remembered the man who smiled and comforted her before she killed him.

"Don't ask me if I loved my father, because I'm not sure how I would answer," the man whispered, her eyes trailing far away, "I don't know myself."

Amaya nodded, clearing her throat and swallowing whatever emotion that had been creeping up her throat and cracked her knuckles to distract herself. Turning away Tobirama, her eyes began to water. "And your mother?"

The change in him was immediate. He growled loudly, a sound that rose from the back of his throat and rolled over his tongue hitting Amaya quickly. He glared at her, his red eyes narrowed dangerously and violently threatening the worst. He hunched his shoulders up, as if they were hackles and his lips drew back into a snarl. "Shall I ask you about the death of your brothers," he hissed, taking each word slowly, dragging it. "How you killed them?"

He drew back, his teeth glinting with each breath he took. She turned to him slowly, the breath having been knocked out of her immediately and with her eyes wide. Her hand shot out, each finger wrapping around his throat, crushing his trachea so tightly that he could not take another breath without wheezing pitifully. Her chakra rose like a massive beast with a dripping maw, staggering and monstrous. For a single moment, for one precious second, he saw tears in her eyes, right on the verge of falling down her cheeks but then she blinked and the mask slid into place. He had forgotten what it was like to see her completely emotionless, to see that harshness in her gaze. He had never felt chakra like this, chakra with so much hatred directed at him.

"Watch it, Tobirama." As she let go of his throat, her hand shook uncontrollably. She stood from her stool, taking a few steps away from him, her gaze wary and still unable to breath. She turned around to stare at the wall for a few moments, her fingers contracting into fists then slowly uncurling.

The full weight of the words he had just uttered hit him like a wave in the ocean and he winced. He turned to stare at the assassin, his eyes widening, imagining if he had been in her position and knowing with a sick feeling in his gut he wouldn't have let go of her throat. If he had been responsible for his brother's death and Amaya had spoken to him like he did her, he would have crushed her throat and broken her neck without another thought.

"Amaya…" his whispered, standing slowly, his gaze carefully examining her. "I'm so sorry."

She met his eyes, the mask thicker than he had ever seen it before and did nothing for several long moments. Tobirama only saw a spark of pain on her gaze but when she blinked, it was extinguished.

"If I hear you _ever_ say anything like that again, I will kill you, Tobirama." She kept his gaze for a few more seconds before she turned away from him, her eyes falling to stare at the floor and took a shuddering breath. She glanced back at him, the mask slowly slipping. "We now know where the line has been drawn."

He nodded his agreement.

There was an awkward pause where they stared at each other for a few moments until Amaya looked away and took another deep breath. She straightened, her lips pressed tightly together and turned to him, tears ready to fall. She was completely open to him, and vaguely, he wondered why. He wondered why she continued to open up to him, even after he never stopped making mistakes.

"You have no idea, Tobirama. _No_ idea what it's like to -" she stopped herself from saying anything more, blinking rapidly. The assassin met his gaze for a moment before turning away, swallowing. "I am not nearly as strong of a person as you think I am. I do not have the strength to continue on like this. I can't keep playing these goddam games with you or your brother."

He stared at her, shocked by her admission and she gave no sign that she knew he was even there. Rubbing her face tiredly, she began to speak once more, weary and defeated.

"You said you wanted to hear of my escape?" She sighed, emotion dripping away. "Fine."

And so she told him of her past. She did not break stride as she said flatly that she did not remember much because the entire time the men who now owned her was slowly giving her a deadly addiction to chakra infused drug and now her memories were splintered. She did not even pause for breath as she said she was used as a toy for their pleasure, _any_ type of pleasure they wanted.

"Were you raped?" His question was rushed, full of horror and disgust. His nails dug into his palms, ready to go after the men that had touched her and rip them apart.

She laughed at that and it reminded him nothing of her drunk, light laughter. It was bitter, her laughter. It was heartbreakingly bitter laughter that erupted from her lips. She met his eyes, and shrugged. "Most men were afraid of me, as they should have been. Others not as much." She paused for a short moment, her eyes straying away. "They learned to be afraid. Some are still afraid." A ghost of a smile traced along her lips.

He stared at her, completely shocked. "Some are still alive?"

She smirked, a smile so completely terrifying to the white-haired man, and stared at nothing and everything all at once. "For now."

She continued on after that, giving Tobirama no time to comprehend her previous words, no time to wonder what she meant and wondered when she would kill them and who they were.

"I was often rented out to various clans for their personal use. I fought in their wars for their spoiled children and I killed for them. I would do anything to get more of the drug. Anything at all. No matter who I had to kill."

His blood chilled and he swallowed nervously but Amaya only stared at him impassively. He had no idea of the connotations of her words or really how far she would go.

The reason, Tobirama finally realized, as to why he was utterly unnerved by the assassin's words, was that there was nothing in her eyes. Despite that her mask was gone, that even though that she no longer held up that facade, the woman he had begun to have feelings for was completely gone. It was the absence of emotion that caused ice in his veins, the complete absence of any feeling this story could evoke. This was how she truly was. This was the dark side of Amaya Mae, and he had pushed her to this point.

"I was thirteen years old when I finally made my escape."

He stifled his surprise and rage began to boil in his chakra reserves, leaking out in thin tendrils. Amaya either was oblivious to his fury, or ignored it. He had almost forgotten that she had been only a child when she had gone through horrors no one should have been forced to live through. His rage burned under his skin, waiting to escape.

"The men who had captured me were idiots. I trained at night when they were all asleep or too drunk to notice that I was missing and when I finally got strong enough, I broke free of my chains and…" she smiled and Tobirama felt the heat in his gut burn fiercer than ever, and it was certainly not a bad feeling. "And I killed every single fucking person in that shit hole. I pried my father's sword out of the cold dead hands of the man who wrapped me in chains and I burnt the camp until there was nothing but ash."

She grinned at him and chuckled bleakly, her humor fading as she began to chew on her lips and he felt the sudden urge to push her against the counter and kiss her like never before.

"I spent four years doing whatever the hell I pleased, achieving revenge on most of those who had wronged me," she paused, turning away for a moment. "And some who had done nothing to me."

She scrubbed at her face with the palms of her hands, her eyes suddenly heavy and her heart colder than it had been in some time. It had been years since she had uttered these words aloud.

"Maybe I deserve all I've gotten. After everything I've done," she murmured, broken. He stared at her as she rubbed her wrists, those wrists that held those bands of scars from the chains that had been wrapped around her. Just some of the many scars that would never fade. Rage bubbled in his gut, seething hot fire that boiled his reserves of chakra and leaked out and pooled beneath him.

" _You were only a child!_ " He snarled, throwing his hand out against the counter and meeting her eyes, his red irises burning bright. He took a deep breath, his voice breaking, and repeated the statement in a whisper, barely restraining his anger. "You were only a child."

Her eyes were glassy as she stared, the layers of grey brighter than they had been in quite some time. Taking a deep breath, she reached her hand out and placed it above Tobirama's. He glanced up at her and her grip tightened.

"It was four years after my escape when I met Miyako Senju."

His head snapped up and he blinked, staring at her in complete shock. His aunt, his beloved aunt, who he had thought was long dead. His own aunt, Miyako was someone that Amaya held close to her heart - Amaya had people that she was close to her after the death of her clan. Looking away, he took a deep breath and chastised himself. He shouldn't have been surprised that the assassin had people whom she loved. Amaya did not meet his gaze.

"She saved me," the assassin murmured, her eyes flashing towards him for only a second. Tobirama stared at her, his mouth parting and completely silent. Amaya sighed, sucking on her bottom lip as she allowed Tobirama to digest the information. "Your clan abandoned her when your father moved on to fight a war with the Uchiha. When your brother took over and created the leaf, she was too sickly to make the journey alone.

Tobirama stared at the ground, his breath quickening. He looked up to Amaya who made sure not reveal anything on her face. "If I knew that she was still alive - that she _existed_ , we would have sent out men right away. We can still do it now. Where is she?"

Amaya looked away, her hand tightening even more over Tobirama's. She was done with it all. Done with the half-truths, done with the deafening quiet.

"Dead. She died before we could make the journey together to the leaf. It was the original reason I decided to come here - to help her get the proper care. The leaf was supposed to be advanced in the healing arts," she looked away and swallowed before continuing, "she saved me from myself, you know. Before I could do any more stupid shit, she said that she had me stop digging my grave," Amaya laughed dryly. "Miyako, um, she gave me a reason to forgive myself and to keep living. Taught me how to move past all the killing I've done, and taught me how to continue to kill with reason. She understood. Understood that there really is no other place for me in the world other than assassin. Some things need to be done - one for many."

The man stared at her, his heart still, and reached to touch her cheek with his other hand. She allowed him to tilt her face so he could meet her eyes and blinked, attempting to clear the tears away.

"How did you meet her?"

Amaya sighed and shrugged, glancing at the ground. "After my mask was cracked and I broke, I went on to do some..." she paused and blinked a few times, "some terrible, terrible things. And then, I went on to go die in the forest alone." She paused to wet her lips and Tobirama held his breath. "She found me when I was lying down on the forest floor drenched in blood and despite that she hacking up her own blood and her bones ached, she dragged me all the way back to her cottage and helped me through _everything_."

He nodded staring into the many layers of her eyes, wishing he could sweep his thumb across her face, along her cheekbone and not have her shy away. He wished he could kiss her and tell her everything he couldn't find the words to say.

"I taught Miyako a lot about myself in the months we spent together. In the days when I had nothing left, I had her."

Tobirama looked at her curiously, his red eyes gleaming in the soft morning light. "You taught her things? Like what?"

Amaya smiled delicately, staring at the past with a longing look. "Like the hymns of my clan."

Tobirama's eyes widened and his breath caught. He could never imagine someone who was not apart of his family the funeral prayers they whispered over the graves of fallen Senju. The bond between his aunt and Amaya was something far stronger than he had originally expected, that Amaya had truly loved someone after the death of her clan.

He leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching and spoke words that would never leave him, words that would lead to the future. "Will you sing for me, the hymns of your clan?"

Staring at him, her eyes widened and she blinked a few times, as if she hadn't heard him right. But then she took a deep breath and gave him a breathless laugh. She paused and stared at him while nodding. "Yeah."

And suddenly her voice filled up every crack in his armor and so much more as first few syllables were flicked off her tongue. It was a sound so full and aching that he could do nothing but stare. The words tumbled, one after the other, slow and soft at some times and quick and fierce at others. It hammered at his soul, punches were not there left him breathless and invisible kicks left tears in his eyes. Her voice rose with the crescendo, dripping with emotion, and pushing until it fell all at once, crashing and burning. It swept up, before it could fall completely, and she continued, her voice wavering every few moments as the ethereal sounds left her lips and blanketed him. It ended suddenly, before it's time and with so much unsaid.

He was left gasping for air alongside Amaya, their eyes meeting as they gulped down air. He had not understood a word of the language she had sung, not a single word or syllable was familiar. He stared at her, remembering the tune, for some odd reason, and linked it to months past, back in the summer when they had gone on their first mission together. It was the song that she was humming as she had used her jutsu. The song that he had once thought to be chilling, was in fact quite beautiful.

"What of your mask?" His question was whispered between the gasps of breath he struggled through. "What does it say?"

She glanced at him, unimpressed, blinking away the tears in her eyes and forced a noncommittal shrug. "It says Night Rain."

"Why?"

Amaya pursed her lips and shifted uncomfortably. "It's the name my father gave upon my birth. It's the name I was supposed to grow into, to then take when I turned sixteen."

"Why is it broken?"

Amaya slammed her fist down onto the table, so shockingly fast that Tobirama had no time to respond. "Enough, Senju. No more questions today." She stood and began to walk away towards her bedroom. "I expect that you can show yourself out."

"Wait," he murmured. "I have one last question."

She paused in the doorway to her room, as if waiting for something and held her breath. She turned to him, arching an eyebrow and pursed her lips, keeping her chin up with her eyes narrowed, obviously debating between something. She silently pleaded for him to leave him alone, so that she could cry alone. "What?" She hated that her voice cracked.

"Why Night Rain?"

She gave him a warning look but conceded, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around herself. "When infants of the Mae Clan are born, a price is paid in nature. When I came onto this world, the clouds gathered and the heavens cried and the gods roared." It was not her words that she had spoken, not words that she had created for herself but those that had been murmured to her from her birth and to Tobirama, it was despicable. He had been called an aloof monster for much of his life and it had left him bitter, and he could only guess the toll it must have taken to be called one since birth.

Tobirama paused at her description, his scarlet eyes boring into her. "I think it's a beautiful name." And he really did.

She snorted at him, smiling sadly. "Hn."

* * *

 **Tell me what you think**


	11. The Sword that Sung

**I do not own Naruto. Exciting news, we reached over 100 pages on the master doc!**

* * *

 _Chapter 11_

 _The Sword that Sung_

* * *

 _Spring_

Amaya screamed herself awake.

The dreams were always like this, the nightmares, really. They were the same, the same years condensed into one night. It was from the day of their deaths to the day Miyako died. It was the faces of her victims, the cries of her brothers and the screams of her mother. The nightmares were the chains around her neck slithering up and yanking until her heart stopped. They were the lingering hands of the men that drugged her and they were the shackles around her wrists and ankles. Her dreams were of Michi and her parents, the money in their hand as she was locked up and dragged away. They were the village she left and the men who took her and they were dreams of the drug she lusted after. Only this time, the mountain of the dead had a white-haired man with dulled red eyes staring directly at her.

Gasping for breath and having sweated through her sheets, she sat up shivered involuntarily. Her chest heaved as she gulped the air down and fought the sheets to the end of the bed, freeing her bare legs. Her throat felt raw from her shrieks through the night.

It was then she decided to stand and dress herself, pulling on some loose pants and a sweater, her heart still racing. She made her way out of the apartment, taking the sword leaning beside her bed as she did, holding it close to her chest. She was silent as she made her way out of the apartment complex, keeping away from the squeaking floorboards and slipping in between the door and the bell above it.

Running through the village, she was nothing more than a shadow in between the townhouses. Her footsteps were silent as she entered the forest, avoiding the sticks and leaves that would crunch under her foot. She felt no need to waste chakra to perform the silent step technique. As she shifted through the forest, she was nothing more than a blur spinning and ducking through trees, her footsteps light and unburdened. Bursting through the forest onto the open training field, she took in a sharp breath, the cool air filling her lungs.

With her feet numb and her body reacting to the chill by shivering violently, she paused and closed her eyes. Turning to face the forest she had just exited, the ominous breeze kissed her cheeks. The sheath to the katana fell at her feet, the sword gleaming in the low morning light.

When the assassin shifted her foot, the blade was nothing more than a flash of silver as she cut up, the katana shining like the sunlight that wasn't there, as if it could cut through the clouds themselves. Her other foot shifted now, slowly turning and blade moved sideways, only a glint as it sliced through the air, and she knew it could cut through the sea as well. She flicked her wrist diagonal to the left and the blade whistled by, the shrill sound of wings that made her heart ache. She swung left, soundless, nothing more than her pounding heart.

The pattern repeated once more: up, right, diagonal, left, up, right, diagonal, left. She continued, sweat dripping down her forehead and stinging at her eyes and the movements became smooth. The sword glinted in the low light of the morning, not even the first rays of the sun visible. Up, right, diagonal, left. She quickened her pace, her feet shuffling against the slippery snow. Up, right, diagonal, left. Her slices became desperate and angry, her katana wavered as she paused for only a moment, her silver gaze reflecting the steel. Up, right, diagonal, left. Radiance, sea, wings, soundless. Her sword quickened to only glimpses of glinting steel.

Her movements were full of rage, furious slices of hatred and resentment. Up, right, diagonal, left. She was a raving, malevolent storm; a being of hatred and destruction and her weapon a bitter reminder of the past. Up, right, diagonal, left. Her movements grieved for her, her steps well placed and sure and her swings wailed like dying boys. Radiance, sea, wings, soundless. Up, right, diagonal, left. It was a song of fear and chaos, her movements so rash and sharp that they resembled a battle itself. Haruki, Kaiko, Tsubasa, Kiyoshi. Up, right, diagonal, left. Radiance, sea, wings, soundless.

"Hey."

She stumbled, her feet slipping in the snow and swung the blade around towards the voice, stopping herself at the last moment. Her blade nicked Tobirama's neck, a thin trickle of blood staining his white shirt, the red blooming out once it hit the fabric. He held his hands up, in the unmistakable sign of surrender as he raised a curious eyebrow, oblivious to the pain. She breathed heavily as she stared, finally recognizing him and dropped the tip of her sword, letting it sink into the snow at her feet.

"You seem a little uptight," He observed slowly, giving her a careful once over, as if looking for any wounds, and brushed away the blood that began to pool in his collarbone. She was only a millimeter away from slicing his artery and adding more to her list of the dead. Her breath quickened.

She looked around at the damage she gave, the trees around her either already fallen or about to crash to the ground, branches scratched and hanging with only a sliver of wood. Her sword still shone proudly in the dim light, through the mist of the morning.

"Yeah, seems so," she breathed out, barely more than a whisper and the sun began to rise, warm lights arching into the sky and she launched forward, pressing her lips against his.

Up, right, diagonal, left.

* * *

She sat besides Tobirama, itchy dry sweat on her back and her hair pulled back to the top of her head, waves falling down to tickle right where she wanted to scratch. Her katana rested besides her, the leather hilt resting against her thigh. Its presence both comforted her, and terrified her. Cool hands pressed against Tobirama's neck, her fingers shaking only slightly as she sunk the needle into his skin.

He hissed flinching away from the pain and flicked his eyes to her. She met his gaze and raised her hand to place her finger under his jaw and pull slightly forward. She smirked slightly as he complied and leaned closer before lifting his head so his skin stretched out for her. He felt her warm breath against his bare chest, her other hand holding onto his shoulder to steady herself. Her soft grey eyes were narrowed with concentration and she passed her upper teeth over her bottom lip every so often, causing his blood to burn.

The sun was still rising outside and the arcs of light were splashed across her cheekbones, shadowing every arch of her face. She threaded the needle back into his skin, pulling lightly and ignoring his mutter of pain and continued, avoiding the artery that pulsed with his lifeline. His death was in her hands, just one wrong move and she would hold his lifeless corpse in her arms. Her fear steadied her hand and as she finished up, looping the thread through his tough skin a few more times before knotting the end, she only breathed out.

Glancing up at him, worrying her lips with her fingers, she gave him a frustrated look. He replied it with a raise of his eyebrows, his lips pulling into a grin he couldn't hide. She huffed out, straightening and pulling her hair free from the loose knot at the back of her head.

"Really Tobirama," She huffed loudly and gave him a small grin. "You have to at least pretend that you have an inkling of self-preservation."

"Says the assassin who doesn't even have a pocket for basic medical supplies. I think you _want_ to bleed out on the battlefield."

She replied with a look of mock surprise. "Is that sass I sense, Senju?" She stood suddenly, grabbing the sword mechanically before it could clatter to the ground. She met his gaze, grinning wolfishly before turning away. "I'll be back soon, I'll purchase us both some supplies. Happy?"

Lunging forward, he clasped his hand around her waist and pulled her to him, the grip on her sword loosening. With her hand still worrying at her lips, she gave him a confused look. He stared at her fingers as they pause on her lips and his hand raised up.

"Enough of that," he murmured as he brushed her fingers away and they fell to her side. She blinked as he leaned in, his lips touching hers lightly, before sneaking his tongue past and pulled her harshly against him. She fought against his lips, nipping at him and let her hand glide up to bury themselves in his hair and pressed up against him, which he replied with pressure of his own.

She slipped out of his arms and grinned at him, only slightly breathless and her hair mussed. Her eyes were bright and wild and her smile made his heart pound even more. He wanted to kiss her for forever, to sit inside his apartment and joke about the horrors of the world they weren't facing at that moment and banter about insignificant things.

"I'll be right back," she turned out the door and shot back another grin, "with breakfast." Then she disappeared out the door, the tip of her sheathed katana the last to slip out the door and padded slowly through the hallway of his apartment.

Tobirama lived right outside the open trader's square in a second floor luxurious apartment building. He had a full kitchen with all of Konoha's newest appliances _and_ a full bath. His bed was a four-poster one and his living area with open and filled with natural lighting by the many windows. Her jealously crawled up her throat but she said nothing to the admittedly spoiled son of a warlord.

There were four other residents in his building, all of which were Senju-born and highly regarded ninja. They had serviced the Hokage well enough to ensure a living quarter close to the main clan and also close enough to him to warrant only a minute run's away. In emergencies, they could receive word and go to his side at once.

As Amaya walked through the halls to the stairs, she felt all of them pin their chakra on her and probe the strange energy. She leaked out only a slight amount of her reserves, not enough to worry Tobirama or enough to threaten the men watching her. It was to acknowledge those that were watching her, that she too was watching them.

The chakra from the other inhabitants of the building receded and Amaya skipped out of the building, her pocket jingling with enough change to only buy the white-haired man some supplies. Even if she bartered down the prices, she had no plans to buy her own kit. If the world desired to take her, she would let it. Her grip on her sword tightened.

The markets were busy that day, bustling full of civilians and shinobi alike, though it was obvious by the elegance and grace of the pedestrians in the square that most were well-practiced in taijutsu. It was difficult not to see the way the men and women moved around each other in harmony, careful not to knock into anyone else. They too noticed her, her sword especially.

It was the assassin in her that saw the threats, and with a sick feeling she knew her father would be proud in the way she had automatically found the weak spots of everyone she met eyes with. The man with the strange tattoo over his left eye favored his right ankle and the sight in his left eye was worse than that of his right. If she threw two kunai at the perfect angles and then ducked under and smashed in his ankle with the hilt of her sword, he would be unable to put up a fight before her katana could slice his head clean off and sing the song that she was so familiar with.

Her head began to pound as she imagined how the spray of blood that would erupt from him would cover the infant in the carriage walking down the other way with it's mother.

The woman that was examining the fresh fruit imported from the neighboring land was younger, and she smelled of ninjutsu. She would put up more of a fight but if Amaya attacked from her left and stabbed through, the woman would dodge but the assassin could take out the fruit seller then swing around and slice off the woman's arm. Her sword was sharp enough that it could slice through the body and wind would split for it. With the woman injured, she would be a slower and easier target. Slow enough to stab through with her katana and yank upwards, gutting the woman.

The world spun and the assassin gasped, reaching for her sword and squeezing it's hilt, to prove that it was there. To prove what had happened.

Amaya tightened her mouth and dug her nails into her palm, focusing on the path ahead of her. She knew of a cheap shinobi medic shop on the other side of the market, hidden between some residential suites. In the few months Amaya had spent inside Konoha, most of it was spent exploring due to the mind-numbing boredom she had dealt with. If she skipped through the alley between the barbecue joint and the cloth store, she could appear on the street right next to one she needed to be on.

The man who looked at her with concern but then continued on his path was bigger than her and was probably all muscle. He would be slower because of this, but would take more power to cut through his dark skin. If she sliced his achilles tendons with two kunai, he wouldn't be able to walk or stand anymore. When he fell, she could dart forward and disconnect his brain stem with her katana, instantly killing him.

Stumbling on ahead, she slipped between the two stores and hopped over the garbage dumps. Her katana was tucked in the discret sheath underneath her sweater and she held her breath as she scaled the wall. She flexed her chakra as she let go of the walls and straightened to walk upright, keeping her feet stuck onto the bricks. Her chakra failed for only a moment, along with her vision that disappeared for one entire second, but she caught hold of a protruding edge of the brick before she fell inside the dumpster.

She pushed away from the walls, taking a few quick steps to balance herself as she landed and sighed once she had cleared the trash. She swallowed and paused, leaning against the walls as her breath left her. Her palms were shaking and bloody from where the edge of the stone had cut her palm open. The sudden irony scent shocked her but she was reminded of the weight of the blade on her back as she shifted.

"Amaya."

She almost screamed. She hadn't sensed the man come up behind her, and she definitely should have, especially in the cramped space. Her hands were shaking too much for her to reach around to unsheathe her sword. Turning slowly, she found that the black spots in her vision were growing larger. A pair of burning red eyes met hers until everything went to darkness. And with dread pooling in her stomach, she realized they weren't Tobirama's eyes.

* * *

" _Fuck…_ " the assassin groaned as she pushed herself into a sitting position, her head pounding and her throat dry. She was in an unfamiliar room with pristine white sheets with an open window and an _goddam annoying shithead_ bird chirping outside. She pushed the sheets away, finding that she was fully clothed besides her sandals. Looking around, she found them tucked underneath the bed. Her katana rested on the table and she lethargically swept her feet off the bed to rest on the cold floor.

Shit, her head was pounding. Dehydration, if she had to guess. Probably exhaustion as her sleep had been plagued by nightmares recently. Stress, due to the nightmares and exhaustion and the fucking thoughts that had haunted her. She centered herself, taking a few deep breaths that filled her lungs. _Dammit, Amaya, why did you let yourself go?_ If only her father saw her now. He would have told her what he had growled to his sons countless times: take care of your health above all. If you falter in a mission because you haven't slept, you're already dead. The assassin dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand. Her heart dropped as she thought of her father and she whirled around until she caught the familiar sight of her katana. Finally, she could breath again.

Okay. _Okay_. Assess the damage.

She wasn't in any pain, and she had been left all of her weapons, a sign of trust. She wasn't being held against her will. Her hand shook as she reached out for her weapon and when she touched the worn leather hilt there were dry tears in her eyes. The window was open, allowing her to easily escape if she so desired, another sign that she could leave whenever she wished. It smelled of Konoha, and she got the distinct impression it hadn't been more than a few hours since she passed out.

Standing took more effort than she would have liked, and her legs shook like those of a newborn deer. Pathetic. She would have to do better in the future. Never allow herself to get into situations like these ever again. She had had enough of those in her lifetime. She wrapped her arms around her sword.

It was a crash outside her door that made her fall back into bed, and the roar of a _very_ angry Senju. The door burst open and she flinched back despite herself. Tobirama stood in the doorway, an angry and passionate force. She had trouble keeping his gaze as he stared down at her. Lifting her head, she forced herself to swallow. He took a few small steps forward, his eyes examining her carefully before kneeling at her bedside, raising his hand to her forehead. He glanced at her, taking in every single wrinkle of her thick sweater and pants.

"Are you alright?" He murmured to her, and she taken aback by the concern that laced his voice. Her took ahold of his sword and slightly shook it so she would let it go. He placed it on the bed.

Her tongue was so thick and dry that she had trouble responding. "Fine," she croaked, her eyes fluttering shut at the cool touch of his hands. "Where am I?" She raised her hands and found that they were shaking terribly.

"You fell unconscious, into my arms, Amaya."

Tobirama's eyes darkened at the voice and his lips curled back in distaste. Amaya lifted her head and met the now black eyes of Madara Uchiha and dropped her hands into her lap. He stood in the doorway, a massive being that exuded danger and smelt of suffocating chakra.

"Oh, thank you, Madara. I'm sorry for this," her voice wavered as she addressed the man, her grey eyes watery and red but with her chin lifted. She smiled at the man who had shown kindness to her multiple times, despite the way he appeared in public. He had to keep his profile exact, had to be a force that could never waver in the defense of his people.

She glanced between the Senju and the Uchiha, noticing the vivid tension between the two men. It went farther than the hesitance of the peace treaty, but a real feud between two men.

Tobirama stiffened at her casual addressing of the Uchiha Clan head, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. The assassin glanced at him for less than a moment before returning her attention back to the Uchiha clan head. He nodded and took a full step into the room, and it felt as if he was taking up the entire space. Amaya only blinked as his chakra suddenly engulfed her, pooling into the ground then climbing up the walls.

Another reason why others looked at their treaty with aversion. Madara's sheer power met with Hashirama's brute force would shake the entire earth. Everyone alive would feel the rumblings of a new war, especially because the tremors of the last still left scars.

"I saw you going through the alley while you looked distressed," the man continued passively, "I believe I did not thank you for your acts towards my clansmen, and I had gone to find you."

Amaya smiled at him, an actual one that caused Tobirama to jut his jaw out slightly and curl his hands into fists. "I'm glad you did," she replied slowly, ignoring the way her head pounded with every breath she took and how Tobirama was shifting strangely at her bedside.

The Senju flicked her red eyes between the assassin and the man wearing red armor. The lavender-haired woman took a breath and brought herself to stand, Tobirama rising with her, keeping ahold of her hand but she kept her eyes on the Uchiha head.

The strain between the two men went back to childhood, when Tobirama had killed Madara's beloved younger brother. She had pity for both men, knowing that neither could have controlled what had happened. They were both children. Madara should never had to deal with his brother's death and Tobirama should never have killed a life before he was a man.

Madara nodded but Amaya continued, now her body completely shaking. Tobirama tightened his grip on her arm, almost imperceptibly keeping her standing on his own.

"My actions was what I would have done for any Leaf shinobi, there is no need to thank me," she replied, her throat feeling as if it was cracking with each word. "Especially because of what you have done for me."

Madara nodded, her face staying blank. "Still, we honor those who have aided us, despite no reason to. We can keep you until you are able to return to your home safely on your own, if you so wish."

Tobirama stiffened and snarled, a low-sounding growl that set Amaya's hairs at the back of her neck off. "There will be no need for that," he hissed quietly. "I will escort her home."

Madara fixed his attention at the brother of the Hokage, with a bored look adorning his features. "Ah, Tobirama."

He left it at that, and Amaya felt the white-haired man's anger rise to a terrifying level as Madara fixed his stare back on the assassin. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me."

He gave a short bow to her, then turned around and walked away. He disappeared into the shadows as she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Madara," she called after him, her voice cracking horribly, and she leaned against Tobirama as a wave of dizziness overtook her. Her hand blindly reached out for her sword against the blankets of the bed.

"What was that about," He growled as he helped her to her feet but the woman did not answer his question. He took the sword and lightly placed in in her hands, noticing the way she appeared to calm down slightly with in in her grasp.

Ignoring the layout of the clan house, Tobirama led her through the many hallways of the house, into the busy sector. Uchiha residents stared at the duo curiously, their black eyes sweeping over both the Senju and the mysterious woman. Some of their eyes turned to red, swirling patterns that assessed the two of them, then blanched at the raw force of their chakra pumping through their veins.

They were silent as Tobirama, with a growl, flash stepped onto the roofs of the Uchiha Clan sector, still holding onto Amaya's arm. Her vision failed for another second and she collapsed but Tobirama simply swung her into his arms and glanced down at her. He glowered at her for a full three seconds, his red eyes were not like the sharingan. The color was completely different. The sharingan stabbed and gutted. They were violent eyes, angry and malignant. His eyes burned, a smolder that could fix onto anything. Eyes that turned onto her.

"Don't ever do that again," he growled suddenly, meeting her gaze. Once again, her breath was taken away by the fixation. She turned away, stiffening and biting her lip, holding her katana closer to her chest.

"I didn't really choose to _faint_ , Senju," she muttered in reply, glaring at his feet.

 _Fainting_ of all things. Really, she should just tattoo 'pathetic' on her forehead. He growled and she turned to him, surprised. Before she could speak to him more, he was sprinting forward, faster than any words that could reach his ear and she wrapped her arms around him to stay in his hands. He stopped suddenly, above his apartment building and dropped in through the window, effortlessly avoiding the traps he set to his rooms.

She was breathless as he set her down on her bed and the assassin only swallowed for several long moments. He looked away, down at her knees met his hands on top of them.

"I don't trust them with you, Amaya," he snarled softly, his voice wavering quietly but the world thundered in her ears. Her breath caught again and her eyes widened, the grey soft.

Leaning forward slightly, she looked directly into his eyes and lifted a trembling hand to caress and cup his cheek. He was warm, startlingly so. She lifted her other hand to bury her fingers in his hair then let it trail down to his other cheek. She leaned forward more and met his lips, more of a tender brush than the angry, almost violent, kisses they had shared in the past. They parted and she raised a hand to his cheek.

"No one will ever take me away from you. I won't let them."

* * *

 **A/N: So, Amaya is slowly falling apart a bit and they're pretty possessive over each other….**

 **Also PLEASE REVIEW! It means so much to me when I get the notification and it keeps me on task with this story.**


	12. An Occasion

**I do not own Naruto. I'm so sorry for not posting last month!**

* * *

 _Chapter 12_

 _An Occasion_

* * *

 _Spring_

"Do you think she has acclimated well to the leaf?" Hashirama asked, glancing up from his reading glasses and away from the petition from one of the clans. He shuffled through some of the papers on his desk, wrinkling his nose in annoyance then quickly clucked his tongue and signed the document in his hands with a flourish. He tossed the pen aside and sighed, leaning his chin in his palm. "Well Tobirama?"

The white haired man shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked at the wall. Truthfully, he wasn't quite sure. He had seen the way she sauntered around the leaf, appearing as if she was perfectly at home, calling out greetings to the vendors she frequented. He had also seen the way she jumped at a sudden noise and flinched when someone made a hand movement she wasn't expecting. He had seen the way she was always on edge, and the way she put on the show to pretend as if everything was fine when it really wasn't.

"I'm not sure. She needs to be observed more," Tobirama reported stoically, meeting his older brother's gaze.

Hashirama's lips quirked upwards and he snorted. "You've been observing her for months. I hear that she has found your affections." His eyes twinkled. "Has the assassin crawled her way into your cold heart, Tobirama?" The man teased.

Tobirama looked away, his cheeks turning red. "I wouldn't say affections. If anything it's business." No, that would be a complete and utter lie. If Hashirama knew what had been going on with her, he would forbid any type of relationship, actual business included.

Hashirama attempted to suppress his grin but failed. "Business? Well my brother, your business is certainly not the business Father taught us."

Cheeks flaming, Tobirama ducked his head and paused. "Business is a fluid term."

Chuckling, Hashirama took off his glasses and laid them on his desk. "Ah, I see. Very fluid it seems."

Tobirama stayed quiet, lifting his head and waited for the scolding but it never came. Instead, Hashirama sighed and laced his fingers together before glancing back up at his younger brother. "Mito trusts the woman with her life, and therefore, so shall I."

The white-haired man paused then nodded. "I trust her with my life too."

Hashirama paused, meeting Tobirama's eyes before nodding his agreement. A foreign emotion to Tobirama flooded his brother's face. "Yet," Hashirama cleared his throat causing Tobirama to bristle. "Her loyalty is not to the leaf."

The white-haired man deflated. No, it was not. It was to Mito and only Mito. As much as he wished it was not so, Mito was the only thing Amaya cared for. Part of him knew that despite her words about his aunt, Mito was the only reason Amaya came to the leaf. But another part of him was slowly coming to the realization that one of the reasons she stayed was because of him, even if she didn't comprehend that yet.

Tobirama took a shaky breath and met his brother's eyes. "No. You're correct." And his heart panged only slightly. Looking at his brother, he tightened his lips while his jaw ticked. "I refuse to play any game you're thinking of, Hashirama."

The Hokage snorted and waved his hand in a dismissal of his brother's idea. "No, while I'm alive, this village will never be run like that." He paused for a few moments before glancing back up at his younger brother, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Does she have any friends or recurring acquaintances?"

Well, there was one. Tobirama shrugged, his jaw tightening as he remembered the _overly_ friendly relationship between Amaya and Madara. He hated the way they had stared at each other, as if they owed each other the entire fucking world. He knew he was being selfish. He knew that he was being a selfish and controlling bastard but by all the gods in the universe, he felt protective of the assassin. Protective of an assassin of all things. An assassin that could most definitely take care of herself.

Tobirama shrugged, examining the blank wall curiously. "Not really."

Hashirama clicked his tongue and sighed, sending his brother an amused look. "If we drop her into a team, can she function?"

After barely a moment's pause, Tobirama laughed. "No. Not at all." Even when she was paired with him, she worked alone. During missions, she went ahead and by the time he caught up, the deed was done and she was oddly quiet. Even now at the moment she was on a lone mission. He shook his head.

Hashirama nodded to himself. "Then put her in training with the clan shinobi. All of them can learn from each other when they finish squabbling."

Tobirama snorted at the notion of Amaya battling for dominance. He could imagine her sparring with dozens of different shinobi of the leaf, joking with them, going to dinner with her comrades and finding a mutual hatred for their instructor that made them run laps. They would find the truths in themselves on missions, and she would introduce them to him as her comrades. He could imagine her joining his team and sending hidden grins at him during their missions and looking after his back when it was turned, and doing the same for her.

But there was the truth in his gut that knew that she would never let her heart be so open, and that having comrades would take more work than simply putting her in a position to welcome them. She was closed off in a way that even he, after months of getting to know her, was still trying to move past. Despite all that she had told him, despite that her secrets were almost all laid out for him, he still was struggling to figure out who Amaya Mae was.

Hashirama cleared his throat, gaining his brothers attention quickly. "I believe Mito wanted to give you something before she departed for Suna."

Tobirama nodded and stood, running a hand through his cropped hair. "I'll talk to you later tonight with a report on the brats."

Hashirama nodded and smiled. "Not too late, I'll be putting _my_ kids to sleep tonight since Mito will be gone." There was that twinkle in his brother's eyes whenever he spoke of his own children. Tobirama acknowledged Hashirama's words with a grin of his own before disappearing.

Mito was exactly where Tobirama thought she would be.

She was with her toddler, packing her clothes and smiling at her child between every folding. Her maids were absent at the moment, giving the wife of the Hokage the privacy she wished with her youngest son. Thus far, there were two of them, one already learning ninjutsu at ten years old and the other still mastering how to walk.

Mito's smile lit up the entire room, and caused him to giggle. Hashirama was truly the luckiest man on earth. Tobirama was positive of that as Mito laughed aloud, throwing her head back and picking up her son. Her son cooed at her, pulling on her red hair setting a pudgy hand on her shoulder. Mito glanced up at Tobirama, still smiling as she handed the little boy off to one of his many nannies.

For a moment, Tobirama stood still, watching the red-haired woman smile at him, holding onto her son closely, several heads shorter than him and he was struck by how _young_ Mito was. She was only twenty-five, still a child really with youthful features and a still-bright smile. She came to them too young. Was _given_ to Hashirama too young, at only fourteen.

Mito gave him a look, as if reading his thoughts, but then took a few steps forward, brushing her hair a few times with her fingers. It was the rarest sight to see Mito with her hair down and in casual robes. Even rarer to see her smile so easily. Her older child raced past his uncle and disappeared into his parent's bed chambers, shouting out a greeting before disappearing.

"You asked to see me?" Tobirama asked, watching his nephew go with amusement glinting in his eyes.

"I'll be leaving for several weeks, though I don't wish it," Mito told his brother in-law slowly, trace amounts of bitterness lacing her tone. "My husband's advisors see me as a tool for them to use, though my place is with my children and husband." The woman's jaw ticked but she quickly recovered from her anger and turned to fold another piece of cloth and place it in her bag.

Tobirama truly was one of the closest beings to Mito for her to allow herself to show even the slightest amount of anger - of emotion.

And he pitied the people who were using Mito for their own gain, as she was not a woman to sit idly by and allow herself to be used. She was the wife of the Hokage and a kunoichi as well, with enough chakra to pose a threat to anyone, even Tobirama himself.

Mito Uzumaki was nothing but strength - a being so powerful that even the gods would quake under her anger. Many saw her as Hashirama's prize for creating a shaky peace, but Tobirama saw that she was not a thing to be given, but a being so full of life and vitality and raw energy that nothing could control her.

He could only pity the men that tried.

"Amaya is scheduled to return later today, yes?" Mito asked, an inkling of curiously touching her voice. This woman was the picture of perfect - completely controlling how others saw her and allowing the right emotions at the correct times to be shown, thus dominating how the other person reacted to her.

Tobirama nodded lacing his fingers together in front of him. "She checked in a few hours ago and is on track to return home by this afternoon."

Mito hummed for a moment, glancing at the window for a few seconds. "I had hoped that she would be here before I left. Especially today of all days."

Tobirama tilted his head and raised a brow. "Is today special?"

Mito glanced at him with an amused smirk, strands of her vibrant hair falling across her face. "Very special," she replied lightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "It's her birthday. She's nineteen today."

Tobirama choked on his own spit. Her birthday. He had never really thought on the subject before. He almost had the notion that she didn't have one. Had never mentioned it, even in passing. A birthday. Well then. He turned back to Mito who was watching his reaction carefully, her dark blue eyes trained on his body language. A smirk tugged at the ends of her lips and she reached up her sleeve. The letter she tugged away from the fabric was still warm from her skin and smelled like lotus blossoms. She placed it in Tobirama's hands and sighed.

"Please see that this reaches her hands and no one else's."

The warning was clear in the kunoichi's eyes. She would know if he attempted to read it. The letter was fit into the inside pocket of his casual flak jacket. Her eyes were trained on his hands as he buttoned it into safety. He looked back at her, giving the clear signal that he promised to give it to her.

"I'll be on my way then." Mito turned away, raising her arms to quickly tie up her hair. The effect was instantaneous. The woman was older, more elegant and poised. A prized diplomat full of dignity and humility. She looked back at her brother in-law, her lips pressed together and her brow furrowed in the slightest as she held another robe in her hands.

He gave a noise of encouragement, asking her to continue on with what she was going to say. "Tobirama," She met his gaze pointedly. "Please look after her while I'm gone. No doubt she's begun the countdown today."

The shinobi shifted and raised an eyebrow. "Countdown?"

"The countdown to her clan's massacre."

* * *

Tobirama let gravity do most of the work as he let his chakra pool at his feet and dripped down his legs from the reserve in the pit of his stomach. If he had to guess where the pit was, it was right behind his navel, a massive reserve for his aloof chakra. He pushed the energy to the veins in his thighs, the energy tingling wherever it went. When it reached his glutes, all in a moment, he launched himself off the roof of the hokage mansion and was hurdling through the air where the pinpoint of chakra awaited.

She had gone through a minimal effort of suffocating her beast of a chakra, smothering it in the slightest, as if she hadn't really put much thought into it. The grey eyed assassin waited quietly on top of Hashirama's colossal stone head watching the village languidly from her perch.

He was silent when he landed and she only glanced at him for a moment before turning back to the village. She was sullen and pouty, he realized immediately and he found it sickeningly adorable.

"You are the fastest ninja in the world and yet you have still managed to be late."

"Is that anyway for the birthday girl to behave?" He teased quietly, his lips pulling into a small grin that sent a burning intensity through her stomach. "I had a hard time tracking you down after you _fled_ the hokage building after giving your report to Hashirama."

She turned away, willing away the blush that was rising its way to the surface of her cheeks and resisting the urge to wet and bite her lips. "I suppose Mito told you? I hear she had to leave on a delegatory mission for Suna."

Tobirama nodded. "Do you know much about the rising villages?" He groaned as he sat down, the muscles stretching out for the first time that day. He had spent the entire morning at his desk and the sudden intensity of the chakra he just displayed to get up here would leave his legs sore if he didn't massage or stretch them soon.

Amaya let out a flat laugh. "Probably more than you, Senju."

He too snorted at that, more curious than he let on and tentatively leaned against her arm. She returned with pressure on her own. "You're warm," he whispered into her ear.

She nodded against him, accepting his words without mulling them over too much. "You too."

He sat with her in silence, leaning against each other in the middle of the day, looking above the village, their fingers touching against the ground and their bodies molded together. "This is a nice view."

Amaya smiled widely and flicked her eyes to him for a moment, her body shaking with a deep laugh. "It's the only place where the Hokage isn't watching my every move."

Tobirama chuckled besides her. "I should come up here more often to get away from Hashirama."

Amaya laughed deeply at that, tilting her head back and giving a throaty chuckle before settling back down and melting into Tobirama's arm. He made a strange, pleased, noise at the suddenness of her prolonged contact. When he glanced down to her face, he found that her eyes were closed and it was as she reached inside him and squeezed his heart.

"Why?" He whispered against her hair and removing his arm around her to only place it on her shoulder. He held her near, her breath fluttering against his casual shirt. She made a noise from the back of her throat for him to continue, only letting her eyelids rise for a moment before they fell again. His eyes softened and his fingers wrapped tighter around her."Why do you trust me like this? Why do you pretend I'm not dangerous?" He murmured his question, his lips brushing against her hair.

Her giggle sent him vibrating and he glanced down at her with a raised eyebrow. She smirked up at him and raised a hand so her finger could brush against his stubble. Her mouth parted and he only glanced at the pearly whites before he was on his back with Amaya straddling him with a look in her eyes that sent shivers up his spine. The situation would have been much more enjoyable if there wasn't a kunai at his throat.

The blade did not cut him before it disappeared back up her sleeve and she leaned forward on him so their breaths mingled. She smirked again, her lavender hair tickling his cheeks. "Because I'm more dangerous."

The look in his eyes sent waves of heat to _all_ the right places and she only blinked when he thrust her off him and caged her beneath his body and arms. She gasped in air and he took the opportunity to kiss her deeply, his tongue slipping past her lips. They broke apart after a few moments, both breathless and smiling.

"Happy Birthday, Amaya."

She smiled at his words. "Thank you."

* * *

"I swear to all that is holy if you don't tell me where we're going, I'm leaving immediately," Amaya grumbled as she jumped lazily through the trees. Tobirama noted she was controlling her chakra perfectly, only pushing the barest amounts of power to launch herself through the forest.

Tobirama gave her a look before watching his footing as he stepped off a branch only to find another. "I've just got to tie up a few loose ends with my kids."

Amaya lost her footing.

"Whose kids?" She asked, grabbing the tree branch and flinging herself to land on a thicker branch on one of the surrounding trees. She gave Tobirama a pointed, wary, look. " _Yours?"_

Tobirama chuckled and grinned. "The team I'm training. It's something I plan to implement as the norm some day. Train them while they're young so they don't die later on."

Amaya paused, eyeing the man carefully. "And they don't kill?"

Tobirama shook his head, staring straight ahead and continuing to send measured chakra to his feet to jump from tree branch to tree branch. "Not if I can help it."

Amaya remained unimpressed, her grey eyes drifting over the forest as she mulled his words over. Her jaw locked as she glanced back at the white-haired man. "But you train them _how_ to kill."

Tobirama only glanced back at Amaya, his jaw tight as he turned back to watch where he was going. "I'm teaching them how to protect themselves. This is the type of world we're living in, and the other side isn't gonna go easy on them."

Amaya _tched_ but continued to follow the white-haired man, her eyes sharp as she raced through the forest, the pace of the duo increased substantially. It was within minutes that they entered onto the clearing but Amaya had sensed the children's chakras well-before she had laid eyes on them.

There were four of them, all of them with decent sized chakras and around twelve and fourteen. All boys except for a single relatively pretty girl whose hair was done up in a bun. Once the two of the entered the clearing, all four of the children turned quickly to examine the newcomers. One of the boys stepped forward, hands on his hips and chest thrust forward.

"We've been waiting _forever_ Tobirama-sensei," He whined, letting his head fall to his side. Two short lines of black kohl lined his under eye, vertical along his cheek. The other boy stepped closer as well, with tanned skin and wary heavy lidded eyes. He looked over Amaya, furrowing his brow in the slightest.

"Is this her?" He asked gruffly, his voice quieter than she expected. "The hokage's assassin?"

Tobirama glanced at the lavender haired woman, allowing her to answer for herself. Amaya grinned, her canines glistening with saliva, and her grey eyes sharpening. The boy's heartbeat beat quicker for a few second before slowing down.

"Do I meet your standards?" She asked, carefully looking over the young boy, then watching the two other children that stood behind him. The third casually walked over to Tobirama.

The boy did not answer and only glanced away, glancing at Tobirama before watching the other boy scratch his head boredly. He watched Amaya and yawned. "You're an assassin?" He asked bluntly, raising an eyebrow.

Amaya couldn't help the small smile that pulled at her lips. "I sure am."

The boy nodded, taking in the information before continuing. "So you've killed tons of people?"

Tobirama shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Amaya. The other kids focused on Amaya carefully, her answer depending on what they thought of her from now on. "I sure have."

The children stayed quiet, watching the tall woman in awe. Tobirama sighed and then forced a nervous laugh. Amaya lazily broke off the eye contact with the first boy who had spoken to her. Tobirama put his hands on his hips and with a small flare of his chakra, comedired their attention.

"Ok, this is a close friend of mine."

The assassin cleared her throat. "Call me Amaya."

Tobirama nodded, narrowing his eyes for only a moment at how familiar she was acting with the children. First-name basis already. "Yeah, uh. I had things planned for today but we can call all that off because other things have come up."

Hiruzen glanced at Amaya before turning back to his sensei, a wicked grin on him. "Bedroom things with the assassin?"

Tobirama sputtered, turning bright red and making a horrified face at the assassin. "I-I-I have no clue - none whatsoever - at all, no idea what you could ever be talking about. No talking. Not anymore."

The kid cackled and dodged Tobirama's swat, his movements fluid and Amaya's heart panged at how graceful he was. It must have taken him years of intense training to move so agile. He would become a fine ninja. A fine killer.

"I wouldn't mind waiting around," Amaya shrugged, stepping away from the group. "If you need to teach them a few things or whatever, I have nowhere to be."

Tobirama glared at her sharply then sighed. He turned back to the children, waiting only a moment before speaking again, this time with a wide, terrifying, grin on his face. "Fine, we can have Amaya show us a few moves, eh?"

The assassin froze, her glare piercing into his just like her katana would and he swore that she hissed at him. "Fine," Her tone was sharp as she glided forward, "You and I can demonstrate hand to hand combat, _eh?_ "

Tobirama's eyes widened then narrowed before he smirked. "Fine."

The boy that spoke to her first cleared his throat, raising his hand. "Uh, can I stick around for now?"

Tobirama looked at the boy and blinked. "What are you doing here Danzo?"

The youth shrugged. "Nothing, my sensei isn't around and neither are the rest of my teammates and I was bored. Can I stay?"

The white haired man shrugged. "That's fine."

The children hurried back to the edge of the clearing, their eyes bright and focused on the assassin, a woman with rumors surrounding her. Koharu's mouth was wide open her eyes wide as she watched the assassin bend her knees slightly and push up her sleeves. Tobirama faced her, a few of his fingertips on his right hand brushing against the soft grass. His smile was imperceptible to the children, but it drew Amaya in.

"I'm not about to go easy on you because of your kids here, Senju," the assassin taunted.

"I'm sure you won't need to hold yourself back. The rumors about the demon assassin are about to end," Tobirama replied back.

And just as they were about to launch at each other, the world seemed to stop. Chakra filtered over the fern bushes and engulfed the trunks of the trees. It was like mist, this chakra what should have been soft and warm hit Tobirama hard and infiltrated his system. It decimated Amaya, and she was left gasping as the first wave began to ebb away.

She straightened and turned to where the chakra had come from, fingers slack at her sides and her muscles tense. The children looked around, unable to understand what had just happened.

"Amaya," Tobirama said quietly. "Let's go to my brother. He'll know how to handle this."

She growled, deep from the pit of her stomach and only shifted her position slightly to acknowledge Tobirama's words. "It's Mito."

And then she was gone. Her form flickered once before she was racing through the trees, her body nothing but a blur. His heart calmed at the fact that she was headed towards the center of the village, towards the Hokage. He glanced at the kids, ignoring his own panic.

"Go home," He began. "And don't come out until I get you." He too, disappeared into the forest.

He found Amaya in the Hokage's office, her chakra roaring in anger and blazing out behind her. She had left a trail in the forest, one even his kids could have followed. When he finally caught up with her, she was in the Hokage's office. Hashirama was not much different than her, his own chakra pooling out at his feet and his face contorted furiously.

"Going after her like this could cause a war, Amaya. We cannot think recklessly here. We must tread carefully." The Hokage's words were hissed out, as if it were painful for him to say them.

She jolted backwards and her chakra froze like her. Everything was shut down and Tobirama took an involuntary step back, away from the ticking bomb.

"Are you telling me, _Lord Hokage_ ," She seethed quietly, her silver eyes sharp enough to slice through skin. No one had ever dared use _that_ kind of tone with Hashirama. "That you are going to let your wife be abused, raped, and then killed because your fear of conflict?" She fixed a stare on him, her chakra leaking out behind her, raising its hackles like a beast and pulsating. "I'll get her myself if you're too much of a coward otherwise."

She was out of the room before Tobirama could even blink, her monster of a chakra leaving massive remnants behind her. He sent one last glance at Hashirama who looked oddly defeated, before hurrying after the assassin.

* * *

 **Please Please Review**


	13. The Woman of the Leaf

**A shorter chapter compared to last month's but filled with important happenings. Sorry for it being a few days late.**

* * *

 _Chapter 13_

 _The Woman of the Leaf_

* * *

 _Spring_

Only three times before had he run so fast.

The first was for his mother. With eyes as red as his own and hair long and white and free with a kind smile that lit up his entire world. She was everything to him. When he learned that their camp had been infiltrated and blood had been spilled, he knew that the feeling in his heart would never leave. That the emptiness residing in the place that she filled would be forever empty. And so he ran, faster than ever before. He ran to their home and he screamed at her body and he cried at the word.

The second time for his youngest sibling. Kawarama's body was still crumpling when Tobirama found him, already dead but blood drenching all of his tiny clothes and brown eyes wide and confused. Tiny fingers relaxed and bent and he fell to the ground, the thump of his body hitting the grass was the only thing heard in the massive forest and Tobirama vowed to never lose another loved one.

He broke this vow when his second brother had died, blood gushing from his entire body and Hashirama held the tiny boy in his own small hands but did not shed tears. Tobirama had only watched as Itama died. It was quick, blood gushing from his femoral artery and a crazed look in his eyes from the sharingan-induced genjutsu and the outstretching of a hand before that hand fell in a pool of blood and the life was sucked right out of Itama's eyes. It was then Tobirama vowed to stop saying vows.

He had not run for his father.

Now, he ran for Mito. The woman whom his brother loved and woman he too had learned to love with a heart that cared for him when he knew it shouldn't. The leaf had bought her. They had paid blood money for a child of the Uzumaki Clan and they had gotten Mito and Tobirama would never forgive himself for it.

She was the mother to his nephews and a kunoichi that had pledged herself to the leaf. She was a key figure to their economic and political standing, and the woman _he_ loved, loved her. It was true, he loved Amaya. He loved her and he would not let another person he loved be hurt like this again.

And so, he ran.

His feet sang as he launched through the trees, right behind the assassin, eyes trained on her while his chakra scouted the surroundings. She was silent, her mouth thin and her silver eyes darting through the forest and her monster of a chakra latching onto the surrounding trees and launching her forward. Tobirama had never seen anything like it. It was as if her chakra had a mind of it's own.

They passed the broken carriage that Mito had taken, and the bodies that were left. All bloodied and broken. Amaya had only paused for a few moments to see what was left and had hauled Mito's trunk from the underside of the vehicle. She only kicked it aside and examined the bodies, indifferent.

Tobirama coughed, for now ignoring the corpses of his comrades, of men who had grown up with and only stared at Amaya, who was looking at him blankly. When he blinked, she was already jumping through the trees, her chakra leaving a trail behind her. He closed his eyes for several short moments before following her up in the surrounding forest.

"We should be careful about who we encounter. If the ninja who took her are affiliated with one of the Great Nations, we must avoid a war. Unnecessary death will sign the fate of the leaf. We can't let them pass the border," he cautioned slowly, his words almost whisked away with the wind but the assassin heard him well enough.

Amaya did not stop moving but her fluidity left almost immediately and her chakra became much more frenzied. It raged around her, reaching out and cracking the bark on trees and ripping stray leaves to shreds. It reached out to him, but on touched his arm before retreating back to her body. She turned her head to examine Tobirama, lavender hair whipping in the air and her eyes blank and emotionless. Her met her gaze for what felt like an eternity before she turned back forward, her chakra becoming much more methodical as it launched the assassin forward.

"Did you see the way they ripped apart her guards?" She asked and Tobirama flinched at the fear in her voice. "I will not lose her." Her voice shook and cracked and it wavered and Tobirama held his breath. It was the first words she had spoken in hours. "I will not lose the only person I have left."

Tobirama swallowed and nodded, hoping she would notice the movement out of his peripherals. "We're not gonna lose her, but if we cross the border, we can't kill her kidnappers. We can't start another war."

She turned to stare at him while she ran, her eyes hardening. "Mito Uzumaki is the only reason that I am here." Her top rose rose into a snarl, her bottom eyelid twitching as her words pushed past her teeth and were flicked off her tongue, each syllable overly-pronounced. "She is the last remnant of my home, of my brother, and I will do anything to insure her survival, even if it means forsaking my humanity again."

She did not care where they were, she would kill and desecrate the bodies of Mito's captors, and she would not think twice of it. Tobirama sighed and picked up the pace, not unnoticed by Amaya who adjusted her speed immediately. They had to get to Mito before she reached the borders.

It was night when Tobirama felt the first pinprick of Mito's chakra and he straightened. Amaya stopped running for a moment, her chakra slamming back into her body and her knees buckling for only a second. Before she fell, her knees locked and she bolted forward, her chakra ballooning outward before throwing itself forward.

This was what they needed. They needed to know that she was still alive.

It was dawn the next morning when they had finally caught up and Tobirama said nothing as Amaya came to a halt to stare at their hasty camp, her eyes drifting over the messy bedrolls and the tight ropes tied around Mito's hands. There were at most fifteen men in total, scattered around the campsite. Her gaze strayed to the blood that dripped down from Mito's forehead, and then to the mark on her forehead, nullifying her chakra. Tobirama glanced to the men closest to the red-haired woman who guffawed and made lewd sounds and gestures directed to the wife of the Hokage.

Amaya's chakra bristled, and no longer hiding it, she let her chakra expand to its fullness, and even Tobirama shivered. It was a miasma, a growling creature with its teeth bared to the world, a furious beast unchained. He had never realized just how much she usually hid, the growing creature looming over them all. It was massive, this chakra. It was alive.

The men from the campsite looked up, eyes wide with surprise and one of them shifted slightly. The oldest, a man of at least sixty shoved the man next to him and jutted his chin to Mito, who looked around wildly and sneered her silent defiance to the younger man who approached her. She was backhanded across the face, the gag around her mouth darkening at the corners with blood and Amaya flinched as if she were the one hit. Mito only flicked her hair out of her eyes with a flick of her head and stared back up, her dark eyes full of disdain.

Upon closer inspection, Tobirama realized the man who stood possessively over Mito was only a kid, tall for his age but lanky and acne-riddled with sweat on his brow and fear in his eyes. He could not be much older than Itama was. Tobirama closed his eyes for only a moment before regaining his senses.

Amaya was already walking forward, slowly unsheathing the katana that hung around her waist. Mist gathered around her ankles and she swung the sword experimentally a few times. The blade sang but she kept silent. The entire camp stilled and turned towards her, all men dressed in layers of warm fleece with gnawing on cold jerky.

The man closest to her lunged but she swung her katana and he was cut in half, blood spraying upwards and brainmatter sliding out of the skull. There was silence for several seconds and Tobirama glanced at stared at Mito. She was oddly calm, her chin lifted and dried blood crackled on her forehead with elegance in her position. She was a proud women, strong and terrifying, even in captivity..

More men stood, taking out kunai and putting their hands in pockets for hidden weapons, not a shinobi among them. Amaya only watched them dispassionately and as they rushed her, she did not move until the last moment. She simply stepped out of the way, shifting her head to the side to avoid a blade by a hair's width. Her sword swung, faster than he had seen a blade go before, and took off the heads of all three of the men attacking her in one slice.

Their bodies crumpled to the ground and heads rolled on forest floor, eyes still wide open. This time, no one moved immediately, until Amaya lolled her head in the direction of the oldest man, to the one that seemed to be the calmest and smiled. A cold, dead smile that Tobirama had never before seen and it was as if a knife had been plunged into his heart.

The man only grinned back and rose to his feet gracefully. His face was weathered but his body was fit, his movements fluid and well-practiced and there was awakened chakra in his body. Small enough that it barely registered on Tobirama's radar but there is was nonetheless. He stepped towards the boy who guarded Mito, pushed him out of the way then squatted near the woman, one dirtied finger stroking her pale cheek. Mito spat at his feet but the man simple clutched her jaw tightly before turning it away roughly finding it too much of an effort to spit right back.

He stood, ignoring the way that Mito glared daggers at him and sighed, placing his hands on his hips and facing Amaya and Tobirama directly. He looked over at Amaya, his eyes drifting over every single feature of her, a look that sent Tobirama pulsating with furious charka. The older man's eyes turned to Tobirama then sighed tiredly again.

"I didn't think the brother of the Hokage would come. I wanted to bargain with the man himself. You've got nothing I want."

Amaya cocked her head, looking over the troops, her katana dipping to rest against the dirt at her feet, blood dripping off. Her chakra enlarged suddenly, splintering the trees near her with the intensity it it. The man's head snapped to look at her, blinking. She slowly turned to meet his gaze, sighing, a parallel to his own reactions. She glanced at Tobirama, a smirk pulling at her lips.

"He's not working for a nation." Her words were excited, quick and her chakra collapsed inward then exploded outward, hitting the mercenaries before retreating a safe distance away. They murmured their surprise, pale from being touched by such a dense energy and shifted.

He smiled in return, dark scarlet eyes looking over the group. He shook his head and forced a throaty laugh that sounded natural. He willed his muscles to relax and turned to Mito who was watching all of Amaya's moves very carefully. She was wary in her position, careful not to set off the unstable assassin but utterly overjoyed that she would be rescued.

"No, he's not."

Amaya laughed, bright and clear and Tobirama swore that in any other situation he would also join in on the laughter. It was happy, purely joyous and a small part of the white haired man questioned the assassin's morals before he remembered what was happening.

"Means it doesn't matter where they're killed," She giggled, her katana being swung in circles. She slashed down, whipping the blade to the side and ridding the steel of the blood. She returned to swinging it in circles, languidly at first before it picked up speed. Soon, it was moving so fast that the fingers that were flicking the weapon around her wrist were blurred. Her chakra vibrated in excitement. Her pupils were agitated, leading the iris around the campsite like she didn't know where to begin the bloodletting.

Her chakra convulsed but she quickly reigned it in before it could touch Mito. No, nothing would hurt that woman. Nothing would ever hurt that woman again.

Tobirama swallowed, watching her in morbid fascinations. "No, it doesn't." He controlled his own anticipation and he was quickly filled with dread. If this went wrong, and Mito was killed, if Amaya went too far and she got distracted and let that woman die, not only would be she beyond devastation, the leaf would not recover.

The Uzumaki clan was the glue that held the leaf together. It was the last clan that had not been colonized. It was free by a very shaky alliance that only Mito could uphold. Once she was gone, the Senju elders would pounce, and they would either enslave the clan, or kill them all. Hashirama only had so much pull over their decisions and he would not be able to stop them.

Tobirama could clearly see the distinct lines between the clansmen and the civilians. The village still kept to ancient traditions in spite of the peace treaties. Clans were supposed to have been abolished in all but name. They were not supposed to hold position in the village. It was supposed to be equal.

The Uzumaki's threatened what the Senju elders wanted, which was usage out of the clans that were effectively under them because of Hashirama's position compared to theirs. The Uzumakis were not apart of the alliance. They were something completely different, equal with the Senju and if and when the other clans realized this, there would be civil war, and then the village would collapse and it would put the Senju back in the position of equality with the others. It would reignite long forgotten wars and it would bring chaos to the land.

And so Mito was needed for peace. For the peace of not only the leaf, but the entire nation as well as all the others that had risen in the past few years.

Her life held the balance between all out war and order.

And so, Tobirama could not let her die. The leaf needed her alive, not to mention that she held a position in his own heart.

Amaya skipped forward, halting her katana and pointing it outward, straight to the man, her lips widening into a feral smile. She looked at Mito who was staring at her with a look of pride in her eyes and blinked.

"And who are you?" The man's words were crooned, his own chakra ballooning out and clashing with Amaya's dense nebula. She turned to him, eyes narrowed and her katana rose to a defensive position.

"I am _Night Rain_ of the _Bitter Clan_ ," She spat the words out like poison, so sarcastic and brimming with hatred, suddenly away from her crazed persona. "And I do not fear you."

Her chakra rose behind her, teeth bared and ready to tear apart all those who opposed her. Tobirama marched to her side, his own chakra pooling out and gathering around the ankles of the mercenary group who rose uncertainly and glanced at their leader who snarled his anger at the duo.

They looked at each other, both of their hearts pounding wildly and smiled.

Then they charged.


	14. Breaking Point

**Kind of a plot twist…(s)?**

 **ALSO: I am so sorry, I completely forgot to post for July.**

 **I really like this chapter because the undercurrents become more complicated and the like and the timeline starts touching on things that show up in the Naruto manga/anime.**

* * *

 _Chapter 14_

 _Breaking Point_

* * *

 _Spring_

They had killed three each before the man held a knife to Mito's throat. Tobirama had stopped immediately, letting the body embedded with a kuani in the heart drop from his hands. Blood sputtered from the man's mouth but he died almost immediately after. Tobirama stood still, his darkened eyes angry and focused.

It took Amaya a few moments longer to stop the bloodletting, grabbing a man in the same position as the older one held Mito with and grinned, taking a deep breath before slowly pulling her sword across the man's jugular, letting her hands soak his the blood. Amaya rolled her pelvis against the dead body before letting it slip between her fingers, biting her lip as she stared at the older man, a smirk tugging at her lips. Her chest heaved and she flicked the blood off her katana, her eyes heavy-lidded.

Tobirama had never before been more turned on in his life.

He had never seen a woman like this. And knew he would never see another one like this again.

The man grunted and pulled Mito closer to him by the roots of her hair and the woman, despite her best effort, whimpered slightly. Amaya stopped, her lips thinning and she cracked her jaw by flexing the muscles. She snapped her teeth and shifted her position, lowering the katana slightly, her silver eyes sharp.

"What must happen for you to let go of her?" Tobirama asked, keeping his hands up as he took a slow step forward. "We can give you some kind of deal."

The man narrowed his eyes, turning to Amaya, his own eyes beady and nervous. His chin jutted out, towards the assassin and his grin was filled with malaise and nervousness. "What can _you_ do for me?"

Tobirama paused, meeting eyes with Mito who gave him a warning glare then flicked her eyes towards the younger woman. Amaya's jaw cracked again and her muscles stretched, the joints popping as she leaned on the pads of feet before rocking back on the heel, a wolfish grin pulling at her lips. Her body vibrated and her eyes glowed, the steel on her blade reflecting her gaze. Her eyes darted to Tobirama before turning back to the man.

"I…" she began, licking her lips, "am the sole member of Konoha's Special Assassination and Tactical Squad." She scrunched up her nose, sending a grin at Tobirama before turning her gaze back to the man. "I hold some weight in deciding matters of your fate," she continued languorously, waving her arm in air and her smile was wide and lethal. " _You,_ " She paused her silver eyes glowing, "May call me...Anbu."

There were silence at first, as both Tobirama and Mito paused to comprehend her words. Even the man seemed to stop for the moment, his gaze hazing over with perplexity.

Tobirama sputtered through his confusion. _What...the fuck._

Mito blinked. Then she laughed aloud.

Tobirama had never heard a more preposterous lie. There was no such thing as a Special Assassination and Tactical Squad in the Leaf. No such thing as Anbu.

But...it wasn't such a bad idea.

A specific group to do the dirty deeds the village needed to get done. Hashirama had this ideal of the leaf, an ideal that was anything but realistic. Things needed to get done. People needed to die and someone had to do it. They had hired Amaya for the job, might as well give her a name.

Anbu.

The man took a deep breath, giving the group a breathless laugh, his grip on Mito loosened for a moment and the red-haired woman swallowed, closing her eyes, her laughter immediately dying down. It stopped entirely when he pulled her closer to him.

"So yer high up on the totem pole?" The accent that the man had spent months learning to hide dripped through the veil of fear. Amaya cocked her head. Western, past the rising nations to the shinobi-less lands. Amaya admired the man for his tenacity. He must be iron-willed to make it this far in this type of world.

Amaya met Mito's gaze and smiled, calmer than before but her heart still pounding in her ears. She met the gaze of the man, readjusting her grip on the blade. "One of the highest. What's your name?"

The rest of the camp shifted uncomfortably but the man licked his lips and replied without a moment's hesitation. "Taro."

Amaya nodded, her eyes trained on the blade at Mito's throat and her chakra pulsed. "Taro, let go of Lady Hokage." Her tone was laced with poison, promising the worst kind of fate if he denied her request.

He laughed nervously and shook his head, pulling Mito closer to him. Mito grunted and winced but otherwise kept silent, her jaw swore inwardly. Amaya was losing control. He could see it in the way she flexed her muscles methodically. It was to a rhythm playing in her mind.

"Do you want money, Taro?" Tobirama asked, taking a step forward and lifting his hands. "We can give you and your men money, but only after you let go of Lady Hokage."

He barked out his laughter and the rest of his men followed suit, each more nervous than the next. Only four of them left, each one young and innocent with a life ahead of them.

Tobirama coughed, gathering the attention of the entire camp. "You've got kids here," he began. "Boys. This is the first blood they've seen. I can see it in their eyes. Are you going to go back home and tell their mothers that you let them die?"

The boys looked at each other.

Taro shook his head, sweat breaking out, right underneath his greying hair. "I've got a proposal."

Amaya paused, swaying. She let her body shift her weight around, her own eyes dangerously glazed over. She began to hum under her breath, a sign that things were really going to shit. Mito's eyes darted to Amaya when the first note of Amaya's garbled song hit her and then she glanced to Tobirama, the whites of her eyes wide.

Tobirama gave the man a gesture to continue speaking, sending a stream of his own chakra to hopefully calm down the assassin. She twitched when his chakra began to coat her skin, frowning at the way it didn't go away when she brushed at it.

Taro cleared his throat, sending a concerned glance back at the boys under his care took a deep breath. "We keep her for the night. We inseminate her and once we are sure that it has been done - "

He was interrupted by a loud _crack_.

Tobirama turned, his own chakra being blasted back at him and watched as Amaya held the lifeless body of one of Taro's boys. She had snapped his neck quicker than he had ever witnessed done before.

Her eyes were sharp and clear. They were focused and furious. She held an anger in her eyes that he had never seen before and it send chills up his spine.

She moved forward, graceful and elegant to Taro, one hand snapping his wrist, forcing him to drop the kunai that was being held to Mito's throat and the other caressing his cheek. They stared at each other for a long second, Amaya quietly stroking his cheekbone. His scream was cut short when her other hand came up and twisted his head clean off. She tossed it aside, kicking the body backward to kneel beside Mito and check for any injuries.

Blood spurt through the air, narrowly missing Mito. Amaya simply ignored it when it coated her, the slick oil-like liquid heavy and dense. It was something the assassin was very used to, a substance that Tobirama was well-acquainted with as well.

When she found no pressing wound, she stood again and faced the boys that were beginning to gather their wits. They rushed the assassin, their own sharpened knives raised and ready to maim and kill and the fear in their eyes painfully evident. They were scared young boys.

Amaya did not let them come any further.

With her katana out, she cut through each one easily. Gutting one, slicing the carotid of the other, and the last was beheaded. Turning back around, she stabbed through the one she only sliced the carotid of, his death quickened.

She was crazy, not cruel.

And as much as Tobirama hated it, the fucking woman had a knack for killing.

* * *

They had begun to run home immediately, Tobirama marching over to Mito, meeting her gaze before throwing her over his shoulder. Mito made a muffled yelp as this was done but stayed quiet, understanding that this was the time to move quickly and without the use of her chakra, she was a hindrance.

He looked at Amaya who stared at the bodies carefully, her blade still dripping their blood.

"Amaya," Tobirama called softly, breaking her out of her own mind. She startled and turned to him, silent. "Let's go bring Mito home."

She paused, slowly turning back to the bodies of the dead boys before nodding. She sighed, flicking the blood of the katana with a harsh flick of her wrist, giving one last look at the bodies before taking a deep breath and turning to the white-haired man. She nodded and pushed her chakra to her leg muscles before jumping into the trees. She gave Tobirama a wide berth, rushing her chakra out and spreading it thin. It wouldn't do much with preventing any shinobi from entering the ring, but the dense chakra should scare away many of the inexperienced shinobi and would alert Amaya if anyone came close.

Mito called for a stop when they reached the broken carriage and the dead bodies. Tobirama set down the high-born lady, watching her carefully as she took a few staggering steps to steady herself, then made her way to the first body.

She sniffed but did not let any tears fall and curled her fingers into tight, trembling, fists. She continued to walk, letting Tobirama and Amaya trail after her as she she said her goodbyes. After knowing these men for many years, it was difficult to let go. From when she had first come to the leaf to this day. No, Mito did not cry, but she did grieve.

"Bury them for me, Tobirama. Bury them now."

Tobirama nodded and then began to collect the first body. Mito turned away, her lips tight and closed her dark eyes. Amaya took her hand and pulled her away from the ruins. As soon as Tobirama was out of earing, Mito straightened.

"We'll take you back home. Back to the leaf," Amaya promised her, checking the red-haired woman over for injuries once more, just to make sure.

Mito scoffed, her gaze flashing to the assassin and sighed, taking her hand back from her. "I don't trust them, Amaya."

The lavender-haired woman glanced at the woman she had vowed her life to and shifted slightly, her eyes straying to assure herself that Tobirama was indeed out of range of their voices. "The leaf?"

Mito nodded. "The Senju boys don't realize something about me," Mito began shifting closer to the assassin and Tobirama begin to dig with a thick stick he found.

"And that is?" Amaya asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't care about them." Mito met her friend's gaze and sighed. "With the position of the wife of the Hokage, I have the ability to do a great many of things, including keeping my clan safe from the leaf's talons."

Amaya sucked in her breath, suddenly all the pieces forming together. It suddenly made sense why Mito's father had sold her to the leaf, to the Hokage. Amaya had always imagined that after the death of Haruki, Mito would find love again herself, that her father would never put her through something like that again. Amaya never wanted Mito to marry a shinobi, where death was just around the corner. Where life was too fleeting for them all.

"When I lose this position when Hashirama dies, they will go to the clan and they will colonize and force our shinobi to become _their_ shinobi. They will welcome us into the village, steal our secret jutsus, ostracize us like the Uchiha, and we will suffer," Mito whispered her thunder.

Amaya had never wanted Mito to marry into power, had known this from a young age when the fate of a daughter of the clan head was all but etched in stone. Amaya knew, somewhere deep in her mind that her father had planned to sell her off to the son of a clan head at a young age. Part of her knew that if fate had been different, she would be just like Mito, fighting for her clan, married to a foreigner, and pregnant as a child.

"I believe they plan to one day massacre all of us. This is why I have had children and why I befriended Tobirama so that in the future they can protect me and the Uzumaki clan. I do not love the leaf. I fear it," her voice cracked.

Amaya stared at the red-haired woman for several long moments. "They are not bad men," she murmured quietly, her voice not rising past a whisper.

Mito paused then scoffed. "No, they aren't. But they are men nonetheless." Her tone dripped with something akin to envy.

Amaya understood. Understood the jealousy in the back of Mito's throat, crawling up from the ugly side of the woman. Many times Amaya had wished for a different life, a different gender so the world would not be so cruel. She had wished in the dead of night, between the prying hands of the men who owned her, holding in tears as they took advantage of her weakness, that she were a man so she would never had to endure this type of torture.

"But why, Mito?" Amaya murmured softly so her voice would not travel to Tobirama's keen ears, her voice cracking. "Why go to these lengths?"

The red-haired woman's mouth tightened and she reached over to take the assassin's hand, seeming to understand. "I was only fourteen when I was sold off to Hashirama as a pawn. I was only a little girl who knew nothing of world, who had to grow up too quickly. I was only fifteen when my belly was swollen and heavy with my first child."

Amaya made a strangled noise, an inferno burning behind her eyes. Her gut seemed to drop through her muscles and deadened her feet. Chills raced up her spin, one after the other and hot, raging, fury roared through her blood.

Mito sighed and squeezed her friend's hand, her cool hand startling. "I have grown to love Hashirama. I do not wish harm to befall him. He is only ignorant of my plights."

Amaya's eyes narrowed, her eyes sharpening to silver. Her chin rose and her lips twitched into a sneer. "This does not make him any less guilty for his crimes."

* * *

Please review - it's really nice when people do :)

Also Special Assassination and Tactical Squad in japanese is something along the lines of Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai (according to naruto's wikipedia page) so that's why the acronym is Anbu.

Sidenote: I feel like Mito's position as wife of the hokage would stop the leaf from colonizing/massacring the Uzumaki clan. When she dies after she gives the nine-tailed fox (who will make a brief appearance in this fanfic) to Kushina (who will not make an appearance) the Uzumaki clan is destroyed without any mention as to why and by what.

The Leaf aren't good - they have done a bunch of horrible things, to the uchiha, to naruto, they train kids to fucking kill people, they support indentured servitude (hyuuga clan's branches) so it isn't far-fetched at all to believe that they would destroy the Uzumaki clan, especially after they have one of their children.

To cover it up, they would wear the spiral and spout some nonsense about the village and the clan being friends - to me that makes a lot of sense.


	15. A New Beginning

**We're halfway through, fifteen more chapters to go! GUYS IM SO SORRY I ABANDONED THE STORY FOR FIVE WHOLE MONTHS. I don't have the missing chapters cause i just stopped writing completely and it takes me for-fucking-ever to write so we're set back less than half a year. So sorry everyone!**

* * *

 _Chapter 15_

 _A New Beginning_

* * *

 _Late Spring_

She had been avoiding him, he could easily see that.

After he had buried the bodies, he saw that rage in her eyes, that thundering fury that he imagined coursed through her veins. The look she pinned on him had sent lightning to crack up his spine. It was something he had not seen before and it was something that sent waves of shame through the core of his body, despite that he had no idea why she was so furious at him.

When they had reached the leaf, Amaya had taken hold of Mito's hand, looked her over for the millionth time, as if she would ever miss anything the in the first place, then disappeared into the shadows. Part of Tobirama wanted to race after her. To look in her eyes and hold her close, to whisper things her ear and protect her from the horrors of the world.

But he stayed with Mito because there was a haunted look her eye and she wouldn't stop shivering. Hashirama had come out of nowhere, bounding forward then wrapping his arms around his wife, a territorial gleam in his gaze. She had not cried there, though Tobirama understood that she was holding that in, maybe even until she was away from Hashirama but she had put a shaking hand on his shoulder in acknowledgement of him. Hashirama had nearly broken down into tears right there.

She had knelt to the ground and wrapped her arms around her children and pulled them close. Tobirama knew that she would not let them go until much later in the night. When he finally found that he could slip away, he had gone to Amaya's apartment and knocked on her door carefully. She had opened it slowly, peering around the corner and looking him up and down twice before he was allowed to slip inside.

She had stayed silent at first, pulling down the sleeves of her sweater to cover her fingers and she looked away. Her hair was down and unbound, reaching her waist now. She was only wearing the large sweater, the large neckline slipping off one of her shoulders and her legs bare and despite that it was summer, the approaching dusk made the air chilly so she took one of the many blankets on her couch to wrap around her shoulders.

He unbuckled his armor while she silently stared at him. The blue shuttered iron thunking to the floor, the fur collar falling with it. His head mask went next, discarded carelessly above his other belongings. His sandals were then kicked off, falling in front of the door.

Neither did anything until Tobirama took a step forward and she looked up at him curiously. He stared down at her, his scarlet gaze trailing to her lips. Slightly open. She, too, stared at his lips, going back to his gaze in between every few moments. They slowly moved to each other and she licked her lips before they crashed.

It was sad, this kiss, Tobirama soon realized. It was yearning and wanting but not for him. It was a kiss to forget something and he soon found himself losing himself within it, his tongue slipping alongside hers and tasting sweet, watery, honey.

He did not find himself shocked at her silent tears and only pulled away from her mouth slowly. He was not suddenly cold or lonely, but content to wrap his arms around her back and pull her into his chest. She heaved her silent sobs against him, her fingers curling around his biceps then going around to grab at his back.

And when she finally fell still, he picked her up and carried her into her room, her eyes closed and her breath even. He had laid her down on her messy bed and she opened her eyes, soft and grey and still wet from her tears. One hand gripped his black shirt, silently pleading with him to stay.

The nod he gave her made her close her eyes and he slipped into bed besides her, wrapping his arms around her shivering shoulders and closing his eyes, finally, feeling at home.

* * *

The assassin woke up to a poke on her arm.

Her eyes slowly opened, blinking several times at the bright morning light and found herself look at broad shoulders and red eyes. He was standing with his feet placed widely apart and his hands resting at his hips.

"Get up."

She groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers tighter around her, ignoring his words. Her arms wrapped around her pillow and she hunched her shoulders up. Tobirama narrowed his eyes and reached down to tug on her blankets. She fought him, sending a glare his way that caused Tobirama's mouth to quirk up.

"Get up," he yanked the blankets from her and her squawk of protest sent him silently chuckling. She rolled to her knees, her hair mussed and her sweater hanging off her shoulder and the bed dipping from her weight. She smacked her lips angrily, if that was possible.

"Give me those back."

"Get dressed, let's go."

She sniffed disdainfully at him and _tched_ , crossing her arms like a petulant child. "The sun is still rising. It's too early."

He huffed his amusement, scarlet eyes glittering, he leaned forward, bending his knee so that it rested on the bed as his nose grazed her cheek and he kissed her shoulder lightly. "Not for training."

Amaya lifted her head at those words, her eyebrow raised carefully as she leaned away from his mouth. She ran a hand through her hair to push it out of her eyes and straightened her spine. She kissed him on the lips lightly, smirking when he raised an eyebrow. "I don't train."

Tobirama grinned at her smooth tone, one of his hands lightly trailing down the side of her body. "You wouldn't want to be late for your very first day, now would you?"

"What are you talking about." There was an edge of panic to her voice, her words laced with hysteria and he took a step back. It wasn't a question, but a demand and Amaya froze at the tone of his voice while her silver eyes had turned sharp and angry. Tobirama cleared his throat, straightening his armor.

"There will be times in the future when your missions will not be sole ones, but teams and for that to be possible, you need to be comfortable around them," He held a hand out to her, to guide her off the bed but she simply ignored it and rose to her feet.

"Tobirama, this is a horrible idea," she looked around the apartment, suddenly breathing heavily. "You should have warned me beforehand."

Tobirama caught her wrists, looking into her eyes. "Hey, trust me."

Amaya glared at him. "I don't trust you." Her pout had returned.

Tobirama laughed. "Yeah you do." And with that, he let go of her arm to ruffle through her drawers. Amaya watched boredly, languidly stretching out before stalking forward and pushing him out of the way. He only flushed as she tossed a pair of undergarments his way, smirking as he fumbled with them then took it back quickly before disappearing behind the paper shades.

"I swear to all the gods I know that if I have to run…" She left her sentence trailing.

Tobirama paused before he spoke. "You're gonna have to run."

"Fuck."

* * *

She stood awkwardly beside Tobirama dressed in a thin black tunic balancing on her heels as she was quickly introduced to several jonin shinobi, their names didn't stick but Amaya acknowledged them with a nod of her head.

Tobirama disappeared moments later, giving her a warning look but she had turned back to the other jonin and tilted her head, waiting for orders, a grin spreading across her cheeks. The jonin had looked at each other, then back at her, grinning in return.

She had been asked to help a young Uchiha boy drag down the mats from storage while the others stretched in columns, led by a clan man with striking white hair, a boy of similar coloring at his side.

The boy who had helped her, grinned at her wildly before stalking away, his gait smooth and feline, towards the columns, Amaya trailing after him.

It was not a large group, around fifteen of them, armed and dangerous with wicked grins and predatory glints in their eye. Her memory was hazy of the last time that she had felt such large amounts of stifling chakra in one room, of the time of her family with their light hair and grey eyes.

But these people were not her family - no, they were wickedly smart and fast and their chakra ranging in different substances and textures. Some were wild and others restrained and all were massive and beautiful and Amaya was one of them.

The Uchiha boy had introduced himself as Kagami, not much older than Tobirama's Hiruzen and maybe around fourteen or fifteen with unruly black hair and mischievous eyes. He had stretched with her quickly, yawning when the older, white haired man had called them over and lazily prowled towards the edge of the circle.

He glanced towards the young white-haired boy and grinned, ruffling his hair and straightened, waiting for orders from, what Amaya assumed, to be their leader. He had been introduced to Amaya by Tobirama but the assassin only remembered his surname; Hatake. If his son, a boy by the name of Sakumo, Amaya believed, was already a jonin, then the clan was most-likely very highly accomplished.

The man said something about tracking down the group that took Lady Mito but under further investigation, it was revealed that the group had been fully eradicated in the original distress team. Meaning that Amaya and Tobirama had killed the entire group. Amaya had not looked up when she felt the eyes of the curious other jonin examining her but felt a savage sense of pleasure to know that they had all died by her hand.

After several more moments, the group circled around the mat that she and the Uchiha boy had set out, curious as to what the jonin were doing, with their mischievous glances and grins Amaya went on her toes to watch.

The son of the white-haired leader strode out onto the mats with his hands shoved into his pockets, a glint of amusement in his young gaze. A man twice his age, probably in his early thirties sauntered out, carelessly flicking a pair of kunai around his fingers as he slowly walked to the opposite side of the mats, turning, almost flippantly, towards the boy. He dropped the kunai suddenly and they plummeted to the ground, but before they could touch the mat, the man's _shadows_ caught them.

Sakumo grinned as the man charged and Amaya's mouth fell open as the older man dodged by a hair's breadth, a smile tugging at his lips as his shadows rose behind him. They lashed out, jagged edges promising to spear the boy and the moment when Amaya took in a breath to shout a warning, the boy dodged the shadows, twisting his body to avoid touching the darkness and jumping in the air.

Amaya went slack jawed at the sight of it and the Uchiha boy next to her giggled at her. The boy jabbed forward, a feint, his leg crashing down, still dodging the shadows of the older man. The man was hit, square in the jaw and he staggered back, his shadows retreating back to his side.

Sakumo landed on the ground, squatting down and his hand steadying him, his eyes narrowed and his lips pulled into a smirk, as if a cat. He slunk forward, rising to his two feet and he cracked his neck and the shadow-man laughed, sending his shadows slithering forward, hiding in the crevices of the mat they stood on.

Kagami laughed and when Amaya turned to glance at him, he was carrying a large box filled with coins. A single thought flew through her mind: They were betting on this match. She couldn't help but giggle at the thought and Kagami's eyes, along with a few others around them, lit up at the sound.

It was very difficult _not_ to fall in love with them all.

Her family had always been so forlorn, having seen the devastation mankind left on each other, the most horrible human creatures and it had left a toll on them all. But here, in the leaf village with its shining sunlight and boisterous wind, these men that had seen just as much bloodshed as her family, laughed with ease. Amaya loved them for it, and loved the leaf for it as well.

The match ended when the shadow man's dark tendrils wrapped themselves around the Sakumo's leg and pulled him to the ground, another tendril holding a kunai to his throat.

Some men cheered while others groaned at their loss and when the two separated, the shadow men simply ruffled the boy's hair roughly skipping off the mat and grabbing a man on the shoulder, grinning widely as he slipped by them all and stood at the back of the group. He met Amaya's curious eyes and grinned wickedly.

Before she realized it, she was being pushed up onto the mats, the katana strapped to her waist disappearing and carefully placed against the wall. Kagami faced her, equally surprised, the chest of cash missing from his person.

Amaya cringed at the attention on her and she glanced at the older white-haired men apologetically. "I don't know how to play fight like this." She glanced at Kagami who raised an imperious eyebrow. "I don't want to be responsible for your injuries."

The boy snorted shifting and taking out his kunai. "Don't be so sure that you would win, Lady."

The group laughed and Sakumo's father shook his head, a wolfish grin pulling at his lips. Something different had changed around them all and Amaya stilled her body in anticipation. "We don't play-fight here."

And with that, the match had begun.

Amaya dodged Kagami's first kick, grabbing his immediate punch and directing it to the side before she could even take a breath. His back kick came quicker than she expected and she jumped away, right to the edge of the mat where she waited for a few moments before the boy continued after her, a flurry of speedy kicks and punches, all of which Amaya evaded.

"Fight back!" One man shouted, covered in body paint and massively fat, looking again, Amaya found that he wasn't much older than Kagami, with dark hooded eyes and wore a hat with ears. He might have been introduced at Torifu Akimichi if Amaya remembered correctly.

The others chorused their agreement and Amaya was jolted into the fight again, blocking another one of Kagami's attacks kneeing him right in the chest, hard enough to break some ribs. But the boy simply relaxed mid-air and took the blow, only skidding back after he had kicked her in the chin, a wildness in his gaze.

That gorgeous look had taken her breath and whooshed it away and suddenly, she too, was grinning, her heart racing with adrenaline and something else entirely. Something free and she felt like she could soar.

When Kagami came back again, this time, Amaya was ready.

She took his flimsy kick and punched up, his teeth smacking down with each other and surely ringing in his head. He cracked his jaw, glaring up angrily as he ran forward again, dodging her outstretched hand and focusing his chakra, lightly, in his palms which he thrust into her stomach. Only Amaya wasn't there. She was behind him, kicking him to the floor.

He rose again, thoroughly disheveled, his eyes red and three tomoe swirling within.

"Kagami…" The older, white-haired man warned softly but Amaya only grinned at the threat and threw herself forward, letting the match absorb her.

They were both a whirling storm of destruction. Each blow meant for the shattering of bones and each punch and kick softened by hands and relaxed muscles had Amaya grinning even wider, the smile returned by Kagami.

For a child, for anyone, he was astoundingly skillful. His training must have been intense for him to have risen in rank so quickly. Amaya had been the same way as a girl, was still the same way, truthfully, and the match was over when she held him in a position that would crack his spine in two if he so moved an inch. And he knew it too.

It took a large amount of willpower not to bend him backwards and crack him in two, so much so that her hands were shaking with the effort and when she let go of him, she took a few steps back, holding her hands in fists at her side.

Her chest heaved with each breath and when she turned to the side, Tobirama was staring at her in awe. He blinked and smirked fiendishly, taking a few steps forward until he stood by the older white-haired man's side.

"That…" Kagami huffed out, holding his hand against his stomach where there was no doubt a cramp. He met Amaya's eyes, smiling widely. "That was a lot of fun."

She paused at the wording, taking it in until she too, was grinning widely, sweat dripping down the side of her temple. She nodded. "It really was."

Amaya grabbed his wrist and shook it with a wide smile, the boy's eyes widening for a moment, the piercing red still vibrant. He chuckled a little, looking away as his cheeks flushed. The men roared their laughter and Amaya turned with them, her eyes brighter than they had been in a long while.

She had needed this. Needed this freedom and Tobirama had knew it and brought her here. And he may never know how much she appreciated it. These people would not judge her for the people they had killed, for they had killed just as many.

"Tobirama," The older, white-haired man had murmured, his gaze glinting with amusement. Amaya's eyebrow quirked at the familiarity in in his words and stared on."What can I do for you."

Tobirama looked at Amaya, taking in her sweat and smile and exuberance. When he tore away, Kagami was raising his eyebrow at Amaya who had only pushed his head away from her, trying to curb her grin. Sakumo's father sighed at the duo before turning back to Tobirama, still waiting for a response.

Tobirama shrugged. "I've been bored in my study. I thought maybe I could use a stretch."

Kagami nudged her, a smirk playing at his lips as he waggled his eyebrows and Amaya shoved him away, biting her lip to stop the blush that was rising to her cheeks. The other men chuckled at Tobirama's words, like they had heard them time and time again and the younger white-haired man flexed his muscles and grinned at Amaya who simply only rolled her eyes.

The young Uchiha boy settled in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall and peeking through the other men to see the ring where Tobirama and the older white-haired man were punching and dodging each other. Amaya stood besides him, watching as Tobirama took off his shirt and threw it in the corner, sweat glistening on his abdomen. She tore her eyes away and met Kagami's who was arching an eyebrow.

"You know," Kagami began shrugging. "We've all heard about Tobirama's lover and were very curious to meet the heartless assassin that stole _his_ heart."

Amaya sputtered on his words, turning bright red. "We haven't-I-I don't - um." She looked at her fidgeting feet, meeting the boy's gaze with wide grey eyes. Kagami coughed his laughter, turning bright red and doubling over, holding the silent roaring of laughter in.

He met Amaya's gaze and snorted again, leaning back and sighing as he stared at the ceiling. "Whatever - I'm not going to judge but if I had _you_ waiting for me at home," Kagami met her gaze pointedly and he cut himself off before he said anything he could regret.

The assassin chuckled at him, ruffling his hair half-heartedly and stared at Tobirama, examining him. "Don't say a word to the others."

Kagami did not miss the threat in her voice so he clamped his mouth shut and nodded. "I won't say a word."

Amaya smirked back at him, "No you won't."

They huffed their laughter together, meeting each other's gaze, amusement glittering in both their eyes.

As Amaya turned towards the ring to watch Tobirama bat away the older man's punch and throw one of his own, grinning as he did it. She glanced around her, at the group of men with their suffocating chakra and their infectious grins and she knew that maybe, just maybe, she found a place that could accept her.

That these people did not look at her list of the dead, but looked at _her_.

And she smiled at the thought.

* * *

A/N: I am really excited to have introduced Kagami. There's so much mystery to him - he's either the father/grandfather of Shisui and was stronger than him by a longshot. He was one of the few Uchiha that Tobirama liked and trusted. He was besties with Danzo and Hiruzen but didn't turn out to be major dick like them.

To be honest, I wish Kagami had a larger role in the story. He's such a dynamic character that was never really described except vaguely but he was such a key person in the history of the leaf village. He had so much potential to be used in writing a fanfic and I really wish that I could somehow find a way to incorporate more of him in the story.

What I really enjoy about Kagami is that (according to the Naruto wiki) he really loved his clan but his loyalty to the leaf never wavered. He still was connected with his heritage and who he was but that never impeded on his will to protect the leaf village.


	16. The Will of Fire

**I'm so done with this story but I really want to finish it so I'm determined to keep with it. Hopefully I'll find interest with it soon again :) I'm sorry it has been so long.**

* * *

 _Chapter 16_

 _The Will of Fire_

* * *

 _Early Summer_

She stalked around the room carefully, deliberately placing one foot in front of the other in the practiced motion of a predator stalking its prey. She looked at him, mischief in her eyes that made his heart leap a little.

"This is my study," Tobirama said a bit nervously, knitting his fingers together then dropping them.

She glanced at Tobirama, her eyes bright, biting her lip to stop herself from smiling but failing as she chuckled a bit. The white-haired man rolled his eyes, unable to hide his own smirk as he let himself collapse in the leather bound seat behind the desk. He shrugged, a careless and beautiful gesture that had Amaya smiling some more.

She leaned her arms on the desk, allowing herself to tower over the man, close enough that their noses almost touched each other. She smirked when his eyes travelled across her frame then to her lips, then her eyes. "Tell me again," She replied quickly.

"This is my study," he replied dutifully, rolling his eyes and Amaya snorted at the words then straightened and took a look around.

It was meticulously organized, the only mess constrained to the desk and even then it was only a book lying open and a quill resting between the spine. Still, Tobirama straightened the book and rested the utensil in the pot of ink when he saw where she was gazing. Books lined the walls, dozens of them that Amaya regarded keenly, curiosity forcing her to stalk along the shelves and read the titles. Books about wars, strategic components and the generals of lost kingdoms that had won wars they shouldn't have. Books of love and hatred and history that Amaya's heart ached at the thought, at the words that would take her ages to read. She looked at the bindings of books of jutsu, at least a dozen of them, most about his own affinity of water.

And here, she saw Tobirama, what books had made him into who he who he was today. She looked back at him, meeting his gaze and he stood from his chair.

"You may take anything you wish to read," he offered, almost nervously and he looked down. "There's no use in them simply just sitting here in an empty office."

She looked over the books again. "No use at all," Amaya whispered softly. Her father had never allowed her to read the titles in his study, had slapped her when she attempted to steal a book and read it in one of the tall trees, hidden from the clan. He had dragged her by the hair back to his study and hit her then forced her to return the missing book. The rest of the clan had simply watched.

Never again had Amaya taken one of his books.

Here, she let her fingers trail across the spines, picking one at random and opening it slightly, letting her eyes graze over the old parchment, breathing the smell of it in deeply. How beautiful the words were, neatly printed ink that Amaya let her fingertips trace over. Arching words that had been skillfully weaved together in a manner she wished she was capable of. She glanced up at long last, closing the book slowly and meeting Tobirama's gaze.

He had been staring at her, soft and kind with his mouth parted a little and his eyes the warmest red she had ever seen. She smiled at him, the barest thing that he returned. She placed the book back where she had found it, fitting it in the snug place she had pulled it from.

She stepped closer to the desk, to the fresh black ink and pens that he kept on it, along with the map of the region. He had circled the points on the map that meant something. Konoha, the Uchiha compound, the castle of the feudal lord.

"It's quiet in here," she murmured suddenly, breaking the silence. "You can't hear a thing from the street or the rest of the mansion."

Tobirama shrugged. "It's best this way. No distractions."

Amaya smirked up at him. "Unless you have someone else up here."

The man huffed his amusement. "No one comes here without an invitation."

The assassin glanced at the man as he shifted in his seat. "So I suppose I must wait for you to wake me at an ungodly hour to allow me entrance to this oh-so-sacred place?"

He had woken her just after dawn, the sun still rising but the streets of Konoha already bustling. How he had slipped past her traps, she did not know, but he had shaken her awake and pushed her into a pair of fresh garments, telling her to come with him. Amaya had groaned and grumbled the entire way, insisting on stopping for breakfast. He insisted they eat it on the way.

He met her gaze and paused. "I suppose you could enter without invitation if I'm already in here."

She laughed a little. "Lovely." She looked around the room. "Do you have some nefarious plot as to why you brought me here. Or simply for amusement?

"Aren't you curious of what I do all day while you laze about and sleep?"

Amaya met his scarlet eyes and sighed, chewing on her lip a bit. "Perhaps."

Tobirama grinned, a sight that swept Amaya's breath away. "Then allow me to indulge you."

Amaya met his gaze and narrowed her eyes, letting her words slip off her tongue slowly and deliberately. "There are many things that you may indulge me on, Tobirama."

His pupils flared and he swallowed whatever he was going to growl, turning away and taking a deep breath. When he looked back at her, his jaw was pulsing. "Would you like to see a project of mine?"

She bit back her sigh of disappointment but then gave a dramatic gesture for him to continue. Tobirama brought her to the room in the back, the smallest lab she had ever seen, with a few test tubes and open scrolls scattered about. She took it in quietly, glancing up at Tobirama, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"I wasn't aware that you practiced creating jutsus."

She had seen similar labs to this under much different circumstances. She tried not to shiver at the memories.

Tobirama shrugged and stepped forward, completely overpowering the space with his broad shoulders and thick build. He looked back at her, a soft smile on his lips. "Come here." He tilted his head at the table where three paper seals waited for him. Amaya lightly stepped closer to him, aware that if she knocked over some scrolls, she could set the entire village ablaze.

"What is this?" Amaya glanced at the seals, examining the marks on them. She recognized them from the pouch on Tobirama's pants.

He looked at her, intentionally brushing his shoulder against hers. "It's the reason I'm called the fastest man on earth."

Amaya arched her eyebrow. She almost laughed. "I wasn't aware."

"My brother calls it the Flying Thunder God Technique. It allows for instantaneous transportation between wherever the seals are placed."

"Amazing." The words slipped out before she could stop herself, looking up at the man. He looked at her, his entire face breaking out in a grin that lit up the room.

"The amount of chakra needed is too much for the average shinobi, but perhaps I can alter it so it could pass down the ranks," he offered quickly.

Amaya furrowed her brow at the seal, examining the markings on it and recognizing some of them. "I would think it would be similar to the body flicker technique, but it's a summoning jutsu."

Tobirama nodded, staring down at the silver-eyed young woman. "Essentially. It's not moving, it's teleporting."

Amaya nodded in silent awe, glancing up at the man and smiling widely. She moved on, looking at the test tubes of blue and pink liquids and notes about things Amaya would never be able to sit still and read. There were a dozen charts simply on chakra, and then another dozen about the release of chakra. She looked over tables of taijutsu, and she skimmed over Tobirama's scrawling notes on the moves. She found notes on one of his many genjutsus, a particular one about perpetual darkness that had Amaya shivering a bit.

When Amaya started reading a bound handwritten book in his own handwriting, she was astounded to find that it was about hand seals. He had taken the book from her hands quickly, blushing and directed her towards the corner of the room.

He led her down the table where another scroll rested. Around it were some empty cages of what could have held any varmint. Amaya turned from it, glancing at Tobirama once as he anxiously awaited her response. She looked at the writing and stopped. Everything around her stopped at well. Shakily, she took a step back, her eyes wide and blood draining in her face.

Fear pounded in her heart, the coldness of it spreading through her, down to her very fingertips that twitched. She tried to scoff, tried to pretend that what she had just read had not rattled her down to her very bones, instead it came out as a choked cough.

"What is that?" She whispered harshly, afraid that if she spoke too loudly something inside her would break. "Why would you create something like that?"

Tobirama glanced at her in surprise. "I would think you would be pleased that perhaps we could raise the dead that have left us."

Amaya stared at the man in mounting horror. "You are speaking as if you know better than the gods. You are speaking blasphemy and sacrilege! The war is over, it should have no place in a village like this. A village where peace resides."

"It could bring people back."

She stared at him, stared at his wide confused eyes and snow-like hair and almost began to cry. Instead, she hardened her voice and grabbed his arm.

"It's better off sealed, Senju. It would be used to for more death." She blinked, looking far away. "Let the dead rest in peace."

He nodded slowly, frowning down at the piece of parchment before rolling the scroll and tying it with a loose ribbon. "If you find the idea of this to be so revolting, I will do as you ask. First thing tomorrow I will seal the Summoning Impure World Reincarnation and declare it as a kinjutsu."

Amaya met his gaze and nodded. "Thank you." She reached for his hand and pressed her lips against it. "I have seen things similar to that _thing_ and find that it only breeds further strife and misery. Thank you for doing what I asked."

She kissed him, first on the cheek then on the mouth before breaking away, still holding his hand. He smiled softly down at her. "Only for you"

She blinked at him but did have the time to question him, to kiss him and thank him again and love him before a voice broke her surprise.

"Lord Tobirama?" The voice was muffled through the thick oaken door of his office, even moreso when it only filtered through the laboratory. Tobirama glanced up at the request, stalking back into his office, Amaya followed him with one last look at the room before Tobirama closed it shut after her.

"Come in." His voice demanded respect and Amaya glanced at him, then at the opening door where three guards hesitantly entered. Their eyes widened at the young assassin but then they turned to the Senju.

"We're here to report the status of your implementation of the circulation guards," one of them announced, different than the one that had spoken through the door.

Tobirama sniffed and nodded, glancing at Amaya then back at the men. "This may take a few hours."

Amaya examined the men then nodded. She glanced at him and smirked, hiding her face with her hair. "I'll be back later tonight then?"

The guards rustled but otherwise hid their surprise. Tobirama tried not to display any sort of surprise but something _else_ darkened his gaze. "I'll wait for you."

Amaya smiled then left through the still open door.

* * *

Leaves rustled in the surrounding trees and the breeze filtered through Amaya's unbound hair. She turned so that the wind kissed her cheeks lightly and the smell of forest filled her lungs. Birds chirped on the tall trees before them, blissfully peaceful on the warm early summer afternoon.

"Thank you for inviting me for tea," Amaya said suddenly, turning to the dark-haired man that lounged boredly, foregoing the soft pillow that had been set down for him to sit on. Amaya had sat on the pillow with her legs open and crossed. Her mother would have gasped in horror at the 'manly' and her father turning away from shame, but the leaf village was different.

Madara Uchiha huffed and took a sip of tea that his servants had laid out for him and his guest. "I enjoy your company."

Amaya smiled at the clan lord comfortably and looked away. "Still, I hope that I'm not imposing."

Madara paused for a moment, fingering the edge of the porcelain cup. Unlike Hashirama's carefully groomed hair, Madara's hair was always wild, like his spirit. Though many of the villagers saw him as a brooding fear-inspiring clan leader, in his own home he was nothing like the ideas that had been painted of him.

"Your visits will always be welcome, my friend."

His dark eyes glinted with tight amusement for a moment and Amaya smiled softly. He reminded her of her father, rigid and tough, the unbreakable clan leader who loved his clan dearly. And it was not a bad thing.

"Kagami speaks highly of you," Madara said lightly, sitting up and resting his elbow on the inside of his leg. "He says your skills are unparalleled within the group of men you train with."

Amaya said nothing for a moment. Silence was never uncomfortable between them and she took her time replying. "I was trained from a very young age." She knew her excuse with flimsy. "I don't think I've ever seen a child as skilled as he, though. The clan must be very proud of him."

Madara smiled slightly, such a rare sighting that silently Amaya categorized it. "We do take pride in his abilities."

"Perhaps one day he will follow in your footsteps as a leader of the Uchiha Clan," Amaya offered.

Madara snorted his laughter. "If only. I doubt he's interested in that leadership. He's much too wild."

Amaya laughed. "'I'm sure with years he'll mature and calm down," she paused and examined the wooden planks at her feet. "He'll become a great man. Especially with his connections within S-rank."

Madara nodded. "I have considered this." His voice sounded distant.

Amaya examined the man. "Tobirama finds him impressive as well." She looked him over. "He has what you all call 'the Will of Fire'"

Madara flicked his eyes to the woman, that darkness that had always been there, swelling with barely contained annoyance. Recently, the topic of the Senju clan had always been in their conversations. "I do not care what the Senju think of my clan."

Amaya sighed. "Kagami will have a place in the Hokage estate, besides Tobirama, if he ever wishes it. I will make it so." To Madara, her promise felt empty and cruel.

"The Senju will always have supremacy over the Uchiha. They will use him as a servant, not as an asset."

"Hashirama may have power but he is not so foolish to allow a boy like Kagami to be passed over. Why, suddenly, do you hold so much resentment to the Senju clan?"

Madara scoffed and straightened. "I've always had resentment to that clan. I've always seen their cruelty and callousness. What I do not understand is how you do not see it."

"Madara," Amaya murmured, hurt flashing there for a moment at the severity in his tone, at his condensing words. "I, too, have seen their actions. All of them. There are some things that even I will never forgive them for."

The soft breeze still whispered through the open doors and the village buzzed with life. There was a sudden sharpness in the air as Madara stared hard at the table between them. "Hashirama's position as Hokage is a mistake. If he were were not a clansman, perhaps then I would not be so opposed. But it is his bloodline that holds power, not only him."

Amaya stared at the man, at his grievances as a man and as the leader of many. She turned away, at the memories of her clan, at what Mito's existence had become. She thought of the Warring Period, and all the lives that had been lost because of the Senju clan. She thought of Tobirama's lab, and all the weapons he was making and wondered how many would be used by the clan, not by the village.

"Perhaps it was a mistake for them to take power," she said softly, looking down at her hands. She tilted her head and stared at the dark-haired man. "Perhaps there should never have been a single leader - all powerful and nothing stopping him but his own morals."

Madara glanced at her, knitting his fingers together. "What would you suggest?" His tone was mocking but Amaya did not flash her eyes at him.

"A council of equity. Different than your silly clan council. One with peasants and lords and shinobi as equals. Where everyone could be heard."

Madara said nothing at her words, only looking away towards the setting sun. "And what of the entire nation? Shinobi are not men to feudal lords. We are lawful sacrifices," Madara muttered, shrugging. "Once I wanted to change that but I understand now it's impossible."

Amaya sniffed and examined him, her eyes reflecting the setting sunlight. They blazed quietly. "You could do it now."

Madara laughed and shook his head. "My place in the leaf village does not grant me the political power." He snorted softly. "They do not believe me to possess this 'will of fire'."

"I see it within you, if only you tried to find it."

He turned away and stared at the sun Amaya was looking at. The two sat in quiet contemplation, the only sound was the brush of leaf against leaf as the breeze sifted through the trees.


	17. 17: Eyes Like the Sun

**Some good ol' smut. I really hate writing this crap because it's just really cringy to me lol. Also, tbh I would have had them fuck earlier if I remembered it. It's been like a couple months so it's a little late. Also double update because I cranked this one out since I left you all hanging for like half a year. Forgive me please! PLEASE REVIEW**

* * *

 _Chapter 17_

 _Eyes Like the Sun_

* * *

 _Early Summer_

There was only the pale glow of a deep blue in the sky when Amaya stood in the door of Tobirama's office. Men had already filtered out earlier after their meeting with Hokage's brother and Amaya had immediately slipped into the room and stared at the white-haired man.

He looked up and met her gaze before leaning back suddenly, almost boredly despite the fire in his veins, and he smirked at the woman. "I felt like that fucking meeting was never going to end," his voice was low, lower than normal and Amaya wetted her lips. She took a few steps forward, letting the door close behind her. Tobirama barely acknowledged the click of the door.

"Amaya…" he warned softly, especially when she walked around the desk to stand before him, tilting her head expectantly.

She waited for a moment before taking the last few steps until she was right before him, her arms on either arm of the chair and a millimeter away from his lips. The early summer sun had given her an extra sprinkling of freckles on her cheeks and on the tops of her shoulders. It was just the peppering of stars and it was the peek of skin through her clothes that forced Tobirama to look away.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his breath catching like it was cursing him for asking such a question.

Amaya huffed her laughter, her lips grazing his cheek. "I've realized that life is too short to wait for things. And I don't want to wait for this. I don't want to wait for you." She kissed him suddenly, his hands coming out to cup her cheek, sudden and forceful. Never before had he been so demanding with his kisses and Amaya yielded to him. His fingers dug into her waist, slipping to grip onto her ass before coming back to her jaw.

He broke from her, his lips wet as he stared at her, his entire pupil wide enough that there was only a sliver of red around it. "Not like this."

"Like what?" Amaya breathed out, searching for more of him, breathlessly. He held her back, even as she pushed against his hands to kiss him again.

Tobirama gave her a hard look. "When I make you scream, it won't be in my office, not when anyone can walk in and see me pleasuring you so fully that it will take you hours to walk again."

This time, her breath caught and she leaned back as Tobirama stood suddenly, towering over the woman. He took her hand, callouses against callouses and kissed her fingers as he led her out the door and down the hall. Dazed, she only followed him.

Servant girls blushed when they saw the two of them stalking down the hall, hand in hand and stealing deep kisses at every corner. Amaya had untied the ribbon that held either side of his shirt on and Tobirama wore the mesh armor underneath to be seen. The girls had gone wide-eyed at the sight, at his almost-bare chest and the yellow sash dangling in Amaya's fingertips then had hurried away, squealing.

Amaya had laughed at their reactions, her fingers trailing through the mesh but Tobirama had caught her fingers before they fell too low and pushed her down another corner until they reached a lonely hallway with a single door at the end. He opened it easily, pushing through the handle and pulled Amaya in, slamming it closed and locking it.

When he turned back to her, the hunger in his gaze made Amaya freeze and swallow.

"I didn't realize you had a bedroom in the manor," she gasped out, watching as he looked at her like he might eat her whole.

"I use it when I stay late."

"Like tonight," Her voice sounded so small, especially when he started towards her.

"Easy access."

He lunged for her, fingers wrapping in her hair and pulling her close, tugging her against him completely. His hands searched for more of her, holding her tightly against him, mouths slanting against each other. She tasted like sweetened honey and he was fire on her tongue. She shoved his open shirt off his arms. He lifted her suddenly, pulling her up so quickly that she wasn't even thinking when her legs automatically wrapped themselves around his waist and he pushed her back against a wall.

She gasped suddenly and Tobirama grinned wickedly, his tongue darting up and tracing along one of the scars on her neck. She gripped onto his arm, almost shaking at the bunched muscles there, then ground herself into him.

He let out a shocked half-grunt before breaking away from her skin and giving her an irritated grin that Amaya smirked back at, taking her time to _very_ slowly move her center into him. His fingers bunched up the dark pants she wore, like he was contemplating ripping them off her body.

It took her only a moment to unclasp the first two buttons of her finely made tunic, the metal clips easily unhooking from one another but Tobirama stopped her with a savage kiss, holding her hand in his then resuming the task himself.

When it fell to the ground and left her only a bra, he kissed the scar on the inside of her forearm, the one he had noticed what had felt ages ago. The mark of torture he and Ryou had shared a glance at. Amaya paused and met his gaze, a softness there that he did not miss, even when she kissed him again.

She felt him hesitate then anticipated when his hands slowly let go of her and she slid down the wall a bit until her feet found the ground again, her hands still around his neck. They dropped to the hem of his mesh shirt, feeling the fabric there a moment before lifting it up suddenly, breaking away from him so that it could slip away from his head and arms.

Her fingers dipped into the muscles of his torso, tracing over the scars and the divots of his body. He laughed a little when she kissed his shoulder and met his gaze as her fingers ghosted past his nipple. And when her fingers traced the faint hair at the bottom of his torso, his breath caught and he eyed her curiously.

"As much as I would love to bed you in the middle of your floor, why don't we move this to the bed?" Tobirama whispered breathlessly, grinning a little. A sheen of sweat covered his body.

"Lead the way," Amaya panted back, eying him as he took a step back from her, still looking her over again and again like he couldn't get enough. She waited a moment, examining the way the shadows of his room danced across his skin, tanned from his work outdoors.

He forced himself to turn away, taking a step up the single stair to the slightly elevated floor where double doors led to the fourposter bed Amaya eyed curiously. She followed him into the bedroom and gasped when his hands came around her waist and he lifted her onto the bed, crawling atop her right after, kissing up her abdomen.

"Are you sure you ready for this?" He murmured against her skin, looking up at her as he lavished her with kisses. Fingertips danced on his cheek as she reached for him, tracing his jaw then his nose.

"For you I am."

He kissed her deeply, reaching behind her neck to pull her closer to him. Amaya returned to kiss just as feverishly, her hands cupping his cheek then skimming through his hair, tangling there for a moment before freeing itself with the slightest tug. He left her lips and nipped at her earlobe, which she laughed openly at, her head falling back.

Lips latched onto her neck which she made the slightest of noises at, her hand coming up to cup to back of his head. He detached himself from her neck when he was sure he left a mark, moving downwards.

Her breath caught and he came right back up, capturing her lips again and letting his tongue sweep along her lip. His trailed along her neck, his thumb finding the shadows and bones.

He thumbed the chain around her neck, his finger curving around each petal slowly, his tongue dipping to trace the space on her chest around it. She laughed breathlessly, her nails tracing along the scar on his collarbone and he met her gaze with a sliver of mischief.

The breath she was holding left her when his hands came around to her back and seamlessly unhooked her bra. He dragged it off her shoulders and arms with his teeth. The coldness hit her only a moment before his tongue did. He traced her nipple, his tongue coming down to a point and flicking at it before his mouth covered it and Amaya arched up. Her eyes widened when his teeth scraped on her sensitive skin, her fingers digging into the hard muscles of his back.

She was not prepared for his other hand that began to knead her other breast and Amaya let out another gasp before half a breathless laugh. She trailed her nails down his abdomen, scratching at the hard abs he flexed every time he moved, right where his muscles formed a V into his pants. She cupped him suddenly and Tobirama barked out a curse, throwing his head back, his lips parting from her breast. Her other hand came down and she unbuttoned his pants.

He paused when her fingers outlined the bulge, meeting her gaze, hunger in his eyes. And just as he said her name, a warning more than anything, Amaya slipped her hand in his waistband. He groaned as she grasped him, moving his hands so he rested on his forearms and his head fell into the crook of Amaya's shoulder, hissing as she stroked him.

He thrusted into her hand when she slid over him again, grasping him a little tighter and he bit into her shoulder. His brows furrowed in almost painful lust as he growled against her. He thrust into her hand again, letting out a shaking moan as her fingers slipped across the tip of him.

She would have ended him with her smirk alone if he hadn't caught her hand with his own. "I can't let you do this to me so quickly." Her mouth went dry at the look in his eye, at the hunger there. He stood suddenly, his length straining against his undershorts and quickly Tobirama stepped out of his pants, eyeing Amaya as she sat up a bit, looking him over.

His hand moved up her clothed pants and she was pushing it past her hips as he dragged it down her legs, his lips trailing over the pale skin. He kissed back up her legs, Amaya watching him the entire time and his fingers skimmed along the edge of her panties while he grinned wolfishly. She stared at him, her chin jutting outwards, daring him to do anything to her and before she could blink, he ripped her underthings away from her, the seams tearing.

She sputtered her indignation, going wide-eyed and red-faced at his actions. He silenced her with a rough kiss, pulling her closer to him and his fingers dropping down between her legs, which she opened a little wider for him. She gasped when his finger slid through her slick heat, dropping her head against Tobirama's and breathing heavily. Her breath hitched at every sudden movement he made, her hips tilting forward where she wanted more attention.

"Have you always been so wet for me?" Tobirama asked with a feral grin. She couldn't bother answering.

When his finger suddenly circled her clit, she arched forward with a moan and the planes of her stomach brushed against his erect length, causing him to hiss. Amaya met his gaze and almost drowned in the lust.

"Fuck, Senju," Amaya moaned, her nails digging into his shoulder as she writhed under his touch and when his fingers suddenly entered her, she almost screamed, body arching completely off the bed. His fingers curled inside her and she was reduced to a gasping, moaning mess.

He kissed down her collarbone, between her breasts and over her navel under he lay between her legs. He looked at her like she was his next meal. At his first lick, she felt like she was floating in heaven with hell's heat. She dropped her head back, fingers grabbing at the sheets and taking in a deep breath.

She felt like she was being burned alive.

He pressed the flat of her tongue along her, licking upward until it was narrowed and he flicked at her clit and Amaya was already falling to pieces. Narrowed, it slid down, closer to her entrance and lapping at it. He applied pressure, Amaya whining into it and pulling at the sheets beneath her. He moved up, taking the nub between her legs in his mouth and sucking on it and Amaya let out a cry arching upwards just the slightest.

Her whole body was shaking, her mind was a swarmed and fire edged it's way into her vision.

He dragged his tongue through her wetness and she almost sobbed at the feeling. He lapped like a dog, Amaya giving him a strangled gasp in response and throwing her head back again. Her hand found Tobirama's head, her fingers finding his hair and pulling him closer to her, earning an amused hum that had her gasp at the feeling.

He searched for the way to end this, tongue flicking out at her clit then sucking at it then going down to tease her entrance, suddenly he delved his tongue inside and for a moment, Amaya was positive the world had ended right there.

He moved upwards, smiling as he teased her more. When his hand joined him, Amaya was sure that her heart had stopped. He found a rhythm, pumping her with his finger and sucking elsewhere, grinning when Amaya let out a distressed cry, her hips rolling, trying to find his rhythm.

His thumb touched her clit and Amaya fell apart, the orgasm rocking through her body like none had ever done before, his fingers still continuing even as she was spent.

She forced herself to sit up, giving him a sloppy kiss before pushing his hand away and her body shuddered at the loss of contact. Her sat up, his arousal so painfully evident through his undershorts and Amaya was pulling them down before he really realized it. She grabbed his cock, giving it an experimental pump before meeting his gaze, her mouth open a bit.

Her eyes were so dark they looked completely black. The pupil eating away at the layers of gray Tobirama admired, her eyelashes dark and long and casting long shadows on the arches of her cheekbone. Sweat beaded down her temples, the littlest tendrils of her hair flat against her skin and on her neck.

She leaned into the pillows until she was on her back, guiding him forward, right to her entrance where he paused. He looked at her and Amaya panted her amusement. Her smirk made him want to fall in love with her all over again, while simultaneously hitting his head against the wall. It made him drunk, made him full of life and passion and lust. "I thought you were going to make me scream with pleasure?" She arched an imperious eyebrow.

But there, underneath her smirk and her looks and her open legs, he saw her hesitation. That flickering of worry that made him kiss her brow before slowly sliding his tip into her. And when she hissed a bit, he kissed her again, going as slow as he could without breaking his silent promises.

She let loose a long breath when he had full sheathed himself within her, his teeth on her shoulder and his body shaking with a restraint. When he slowly slid back out a bit, Amaya gasped. After a few slow pumps, such slow actions that his muscles screamed their protest, he felt her move underneath.

"Faster," her words were barely a whisper. He obliged her, picking up pace until she let out tiny puffs of groans and when he tilted downwards a bit, she gasped and gave him a look.

Her thighs tensed around him, moving so they clasped him slightly and when his hand moved to grip onto her waist, her legs wrapped around him, her heels digging into his lower back. He grunted, a savage sound that Amaya made a noise at, thrusting upward with her hips to meet his movements.

They were fire together. Burning fire and flames and heat-slicked bodies.

She kissed him, open mouthed and wet and his hand held her face so he could look into her eyes as his fingers dropped between them. When he touched her clit again, Amaya screamed into his shoulder and Tobirama grinned ferally.

When it was over and Tobirama was still inside her, both sweat soaked and panting, she lay atop him.

They could have stayed there forever until Tobirama slowly slid out from her then nestled right besides her throwing his arm around her and pulling himself close. Amaya lay on her back, tilting her head a bit so she could kiss the side of his mouth before resting her head against his.

His hand came up and he traced the pendant of the necklace lazily, his finger curving around each petal, the slight movement of the chain tickling her neck softly.

"Tell me about this," he murmured quietly, picking it up and laying it flat in the middle of his palm. Amaya did not bother looking at it. She had stared at it her entire life.

"It's just a reminder. It's the Mae crest."

He glanced at her, barely surprised anymore and hummed. "Does it mean anything?" He bent down and slowly kissed the skin around it, his lips heartbreakingly soft.

She almost laughed at his words, airily as she sucked in suddenly when his tongue traced along the crevice between her collarbones. "A greal deal, actually."

"Like what?"

"Depends on who you ask."

"For you?" He whispered against her neck, lips simply pressed against the softness of it.

She tapped at the first petal, her eyes flicking down. "Forgiveness." She touched the next, caressing it a moment before speaking. "Mistakes." She smiled a little before the last one. "Second chances."

She turned back to meet his gaze and her breath caught.

His eyes.

They no longer reminded her of the scarlet she shed but the deep red of the sunset, a color so vivid and beautiful and warm that whenever she met his gaze, she could not help but melt.

"I love you," His words were sudden and soft and Amaya's eyes widened. She leaned forward suddenly, pressing her lips against his. She moved to his jaw, where the short bristled scrached at her cheek, then to his neck, soft chaste kisses that she gave him. His hands roamed over her back, trailing up her spine and Amaya pressed her forehead against his.

"I love you, Tobirama."

She smiled at him, leaning in to meet his lips.

This man would be the death of her, she was sure of it. For him though, she would die a thousand times over.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that happened. I wrote that.**


	18. Special Assassination and Tactical Squad

_Chapter 18_

 _Special Assassination and Tactical Squadron_

* * *

 _Late Fall; One Year Later_

She watched the sparring match carefully from the side. Eyes flickered to see every movement, to watch every flicker of muscle and that steady building of chakra between the two men.

To anyone else, to any average citizen of Konoha the two would be nothing but blurs. Yet, Amaya watched them intently, chakra funneled to her eyes, giving her the capability to keep up with their movements.

"Ah, that's enough," she nodded and the two paused, both dripping in sweat and exhausted. The man beside her kept silent, dressed similarly to the other two in their dark shirts that clung to their bodies and and long baggy pants. Amaya tilted her head and nodded, almost to herself. "Thank you for hard work today, we'll meet up again tomorrow."

The men nodded and turned to go, silent and dangerous, Amaya could smell it in the air. Their chakra was stifling and massive. It pooled out around them, oozing out of them and leaving bits of it wherever they went.

One of the men was thick and muscled who prowled like the striped big cats that had lived in the forest she grew up in. Dangerous and fast and unrelenting and he was younger than the rest, still older than she. She called this man Tora. The one beside him was Baku, a man with pale colorless eyes of the Hyuga clan and a quiet demeanor. He usually kept to himself and his clan but Amaya had scouted him out when she watched him on a mission. More dangerous than the others. More haunted than the rest. The last she called Ushi, tall and thin and mostly quiet, he was the most vigilant in what Amaya asked of him.

"One more thing," she said, like an afterthought and a soft smile pulled at her lips when the men turned back to her. "Thank you for joining ANBU, let's protect Konoha together."

She swore she saw a soft smirk out of Ushi but it was Tora who grinned wide and nodded. "Let's do our best."

She watched them leave the small grove she had fashioned into a training center and turned around to search for the soft white hair that she knew would be spying on her today. It was the first week of ANBU training and Amaya had been given the squad as her own. Tobirama and Hashirama had awarded her as leader of the special tactics squadron when she had come to them with the idea. With the political power of the leaf rising, there had been more people to kill and a greater need to protect Hashirama and Mito, as well as other Konoha officials.

Thus, the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad was formed. He slipped from the trees with a grin he only shared with her and prowled towards her. "Went well?" He asked, his smile widening a fraction more when Amaya reciprocated it.

"Of course," She chuckled, meeting him a few steps in and kissing him, hands coming to bring him closer to her. He pulled away with a sigh, giving her that look of his when she did something that was improper. She laughed again, leaning in and kissing him again suddenly before skipping back with a laugh.

He watched her, eyes roving her up and down and she cocked her hip and tilted her head, biting her lip when his eyes met hers. "Want something?" His gaze was fixed on her lips, on the smirk that pulled on them. "Need something?"

His breath caught and he met her gaze, his own wild and hot. "Gods damn you." And then he was pushing her up against a tree and his fingers were between her legs as his tongue laved up her throat. She pushed her loose pants halfway down before reaching over and pushed Tobirama's pants just past his hips. She reached for him, and swirled a bead of precum across the tip of him before she led him to her entrance and he was thrusting into her quickly. It was over quickly; both of them collapsing over each other then finding a patch of sunlight to lay in and play with each other's hair.

"I never imagined my life to be like this," Amaya broke the silence hesitantly, turning to face him.

"Like what?"

She paused, searching his eyes. "Killing is what I do. I've accepted that of myself. Thank you for accepting that of me."

She kissed him, quiet and soft. It was lazy and his fingers dragged up her side until he cupped her face and pulled away. He looked her over, his mouth tilting at her mussed hair and red lips. Her eyes were wide, that dove grey achingly beautiful.

"Killing isn't all that you do," he murmured gently.

Her eyes lit up and she chuckled, looking away. "I fuck pretty well, too."

He snorted. "True. You also know the best deals at that market."

"What of it?"

"You make me laugh. You grow plants in our rooms."

She went quiet.

"You befriend any person who listens to you. You can make any crying child stop shedding tears. You go on walks and sometimes drag me along. You make me wonder, Amaya. You made me change."

She stared at him, eyes wide until a smile broke on her face and she kissed him once more, grinning all the way through.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Tobirama asked tiredly when Amaya pulled herself away from the ground and cracked her neck. She reached down for her pants and pulled them over each leg.

"Unlike your highness, us common folk need to work to make a living," she replied back quickly, amusement flickering in her eyes as she pulled her hair back. She made a circle to look for her shirt.

He rolled his eyes and stretched out like a cat would. "And where will _that_ take you?"

"ANBU will have to increase its members. These past few weeks I've been scouting for new members." She found it on the other side of Tobirama and leaned over him to grab it.

"And today?"

"Today, I'll ask them to join our ranks. I'm very charming, you know." She give him a smirk through the hole of the shirt as she pulled it over her head and through her arms.

"Oh really?"

"It should have been on my list of my accomplishments."

He couldn't stop that easy grin. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I love you."

"I love you."

She walked away with a smile that didn't leave until she was back in the center of Konoha.

* * *

He was livid, absolutely livid. Red eyes swirled with the black dots within and he stalked away from his father who was just as furious and his mother who sat placidly at the dinner table, hands folded in front of her. The Uchiha compound was quiet as he left it, walking away from the banners and the people that mulled around aimlessly. Some looked up when he walked by, giving him tired smiles that he only half returned. There was a tension in the air that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

His father had forbid him to join the meeting with Setsuna, despite that the other men of the clan had agreed to meet in secret. For what, Ryou had no idea, but he knew these meetings would decide the fate of his clan. It was only right to allow the future generation to take part. Instead, his father had waved him off then, when Ryou argued, his father had yelled his answer.

Storming off was a bad decision, he quickly realized as he approached the entrance to the compound. He could have stayed and reigned in his fury and argued civilly. Dammit he acted like a brat. He was no longer a child to be looked after and it seemed his parents needed to be reminded of that.

Outside of Uchiha lands, Konoha was busy like always, vendors bartering for their prices with other citizens. It was a mix between shinobi and average people, a mix of strong chakra that had been toned and wielded and the soft chakra of people who had never used it before.

And then there was _her_ chakra. A beast of energy and mass and density, growing and angry, with a mind of its own that caressed his own energy to gain his attention. He turned to her, eyes widening a bit when he met her gaze.

"Amaya?"

He blinked at the woman that stood before him, looking her up and down once in surprise as his eyebrows came together. She stood just off the road, everyone else skirting around her.

"Hey," she said with a soft smile he had never seen before on her. "Why don't you walk with me?"

She she turned a little and took a step, waiting for him to catch up. He didn't need to be asked twice.

Her sword hung loosely at her hip and she dressed casually, no longer in those heavy black cloaks and tight pants, but lose dark blue pants and a loose white shirt. Her hair was pulled back away from her face and for the first time did Ryou see her beauty: curved cheekbones and long eyelashes. Her chakra was placated, not that growling beast that made the hair at the back of his neck to stand up.

She had changed.

He still feared her, down to his very bones there was a fear of what she was capable of. He had seen her turn men to dust, just a spray of blood then they were gone. He had heard stories since then, of what she had done for Konoha. Of the people she had killed and what she was to Tobirama.

"Do you need something?" He finally asked her, ignoring the bustle around them.

She shrugged. "Have you heard of ANBU?"

He looked at Amaya. "No."

She nodded, almost to herself rather than him, those grey eyes slowly looking around the busy street. "It's a special force for Konoha. Regardless of clan, members protect Konoha in a specific way."

He arched an eyebrow, slowing down to look at her fully. "In what way?"

"Assassination and political protection."

His surprise must have been apparent because Amaya smiled a little and toyed with the ends of her hair as they slipped through a throng of a particularly crowded section of the street. He didn't know where she was leading him to, if anywhere but it was easy to follow her. She turned back to him when he finally broke free of the citizens in line for an Akimichi delicacy. The scent of pork lazily drifted towards them and Ryou took only a moment to inhale deeply, Amaya watching him the entire time. She stopped walking, right in the middle of the street forcing the people behind them to walk around them suddenly.

"It's a taskforce that I lead, to protect Konoha."

"You want me to forsake my clan for some little project you can toss away at any moment to become the wife of the Hokage's brother? You think I would trust you so easily?" Ryou snorted and waved his hand, taking another few steps forward but Amaya stepped in front of him with a dangerous look and for a moment he was reminded of her temper.

"And you believe that I would become a sated housewife if the moment arises? You know little about me, Ryou." Those eyes boiled with rage and he had to push down his own chakra that raised its head in response to the influx of hers.

"Princess." His tone was low. "Think about what you're asking."

"You think I haven't thought this through?" She asked incredulously. "If this succeeds in the first year, if ANBU becomes a legitimate taskforce and we become apart of this village, we will become one of the highest levels a shinobi can rise to. It's highly selective and though it is anonymous, you will be renowned in the shinobi community."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't care what other people think about me."

"Imagine the pride your clan will feel for you if you become a pivotal member of one of the Hokage's most trusted forces."

"The Uchiha and the Senju are at each other's throats all the time. This won't be seen as a promotion."

"Nonetheless, it is." She stayed steadfast.

"I don't trust you."

"You think I trust you?" Amaya grinned with an arched eyebrow. "Think about this: it's something that will change your position in Konoha forever. I'll give you until nightfall tomorrow."

She swept away, billowing clothes and chakra spreading around her. She paused, lavender hair looking silver for a moment when the sun hit it. She turned, tilting her head to stare at him. "Make the right choice. I'm relying on you."

The night she sat on the empty bench of the open park in Konoha, using a short knife to pick at her nails. It was cold, the sharp wind slicing through her and she let her chakra slid up and cover her like a coat. She rarely used it as a shield because it made normal people uncomfortable. Her chakra was too overwhelming for them to spend time with it, but Ryou was different. His behemoth of a chakra source would not quiver at her beast.

She examined her nails and the scars on her hands boredly. Tobirama was probably half naked in his bed and reading a stupid report that as of now, she was unable to distract him from. She huffed, shifted and her breath frosted in the air.

There.

Just a beat, a flicker, of heavy chakra coming towards her. She tried to hide her smirk as she focused on her hands. Then, the presence of someone in front of her. She took her time looking up, took her time smiling and took her time putting the knife away. She met the swirling red gaze of Ryou Uchiha as he gasped for breath, hands on his knees

"You're late."

"My answer is yes."

There was no other description for her smile other than dangerous.

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